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You damn right it does. If you are not educated enough to speak something other than Ebonics or street slang, you don't need to be a witness, or a juror for that matter.
We all go to school from at least age 5 to 16, and in that amount of time, if you can't learn the right or wrong way to speak in a professional manner, then how can one expect you to be credible enough?
I guess that goes double for white folks with heavy regional accents. Not really. I know you just mean black people. I speak better than most people I know or any color, but I'm sure if I were Rachel Jeantel there would've been some other excuse not to believe the black teenager.
It's not only racial. It also is an issue for education level, culture, socio-economic status,being a recent immigrant, or having a speech impediment.
As it turns out, Rachel Jeantel had a speech impediment as well as speaking in a way that was unfamiliar to at least one of the Zimmerman jurors. To me, this should not have discredited her testimony. Other factors yes, but not the WAY she spoke.
Are we going to put more value into what a rich, well-spoken individual says than what a poor, inarticulate individual says? I think this is a really important question. Being rich and well-spoken doesn't necessarily make you truthful, and vice-versa.
Didn't matter what she said. She was discredited because she made up stories and she lied. That will get anyone discredited.
Do you think a person who is inarticulate and uses street slang is less credible as a witness in a criminal trial?
Shouldn't jurors receive a jury instruction something like: even though a person does not speak English (let's say a person speaks only Spanish and needs a translator in court), or speaks English poorly , should not influence your judgment of their credibility.
The reason I say this, is that some black, Hispanic people, or recent immigrants, or people with speech impediments (like Rachel Jeantel), may be seen as less credible in a trial, whether they are defendants, witnesses, or lawyers, when really what does the way they talk have to do with their ability to tell the truth?!!!
HI,
I think how you present yourself absolutely matters in life, especially in court. I am not sure if limited English makes such a big difference, however, the way you talk and articulate is very important.
Fundamentally, if a person at her age can understand proper English when questioned, they possesses the capacity to speak proper English when answering -- regardless whether the person has a speech impediment or not.
In the formal venue of a courtroom, the girl spoke ebonics, yet she is supposedly a senior in high school. Frankly, the girl has zero business being a high school senior. The mere fact that she has made it to the 12th grade corroborates just how unacceptable this country's Liberal educational standards have become.
But I digress.
If the girl did not possess the sense to speak in proper English when addressed in proper English, it's not a stretch to infer that she didn't possess the sense to articulate, with credibility, what she observed as a witness.
The ability to speak proper English is not a function of socio-economic status. One does not require wealth to read books, or hear proper English spoken. There is a direct correlation between language-use and reading practice; Library cards cost nothing to acquire.
It would not be a leap of faith to assume her parents are as equally unsuitable as parents as Trayvon's were.
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She lied under oath, and said "all blondes are dumb," so I would say being a liar and a racist are a bigger detriment to your credibility than not being able to speak proper English.
Do you think a person who is inarticulate and uses street slang is less credible as a witness in a criminal trial?
Shouldn't jurors receive a jury instruction something like: even though a person does not speak English (let's say a person speaks only Spanish and needs a translator in court), or speaks English poorly , should not influence your judgment of their credibility.
The reason I say this, is that some black, Hispanic people, or recent immigrants, or people with speech impediments (like Rachel Jeantel), may be seen as less credible in a trial, whether they are defendants, witnesses, or lawyers, when really what does the way they talk have to do with their ability to tell the truth?!!!
Courts have translators available and prosecutors can get translators for any language. I guarantee that the translator will be able to speak clearly and articulate well. Court is really no different than anywhere else. If you can't speak English well, especially when you have no excuse, then people will discount what you say. Right or wrong the answer to your question is yes. ESL classes are free though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ellemint
Yes, but having watched the interview with Zimmerman juror B37, she says she didn't find Rachel Jeantel credible, and when he asks her why, she never says anything about inconsistencies in Rachel's testimony or that it didn't match other witness testimony, something substantial. Instead she refers to the fact that she couldn't understand what Rachel said, and that "they" speak in a way she doesn't understand.
I'd hate to think that if I spoke in broken English, or had a strong accent, that my testimony would be discredited in a court of law!
I've met immigrants that speak better than Rachel did. It isn't always about the accent itself, but the way you carry yourself and the way you say things. Rachel also gave an interview on Piers Morgan that night... I found her to be more credible in the interview, but I think I was right to discredit her court testimony. She said "cracka" means cop or security guard, but if that's true then who gets into a fight with a cop/security guard. Punching a cop will get you a felony. She also said that TM was standing in the rain waiting for the rain to stop because he did not want to miss the all star game. Maybe she meant something else, but she never corrected her statement.
And no, this was not racial. I hear plenty of white people who speak equally poorly, even without speech impairments.
It has to be racial after all she is black. Anytime anything happens between a black and any other race it is always racial. The only exception is when the black gets what they wanted.
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Not really. I know you just mean black people. I speak better than most people I know or any color, but I'm sure if I were Rachel Jeantel there would've been some other excuse not to believe the black teenager.
Maybe she meant something else, but she never corrected her statement.