The April 22 paper contained an article about a Black man, Malik Hollis, who was attacked by four whites with pipes, baseball bats and a baton (“Federal appeals court upholds ruling allowing a prosecutor to dismiss a juror of color“).

He was called racial slurs and threatened with death. None of the white men were charged, but the Black man was prosecuted and sentenced to prison.

The man’s attorney, Jim Howaniec, is quoted as saying this case represents the greatest injustice he has experienced in his many years as a criminal defense attorney. Despite Howaniec acting without expectation of payment, he plans on trying to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Even if he succeeds, the defendant has already completed serving his sentence.

At least one of the four white men testified under oath, as a prosecution witness, freely admitting the racial slurs, the threats made to kill the Black man, and the weapons used in the attack.

My concern, as a member of the local community and the legal community, is why none of the white men were ever charged with anything? Regardless of what the Black man may have done as a result of being attacked, the prosecution made the conscious decision to prosecute the Black victim of a racial attack while taking no action whatsoever against the four whites.

Someone in the district attorney’s office needs to stand up and answer questions why this passes for acceptable prosecutorial “discretion,” and state whether this is the kind of “justice” we here in Lewiston-Auburn want to be known for.

Coley Coyne, Auburn