Benedetto's racist statement
Assistant Attorney General James Benedetto’s recent statement that local juries can’t convict a local defendant is condescendingly racist. It reminds us of a similar statement issued by former OIA official David North who accused Chamorros and Carolinians of being incapable of doing anything for ourselves.
Ironically, when the jury system worked in Mr. Benedetto’s favor (having won a case with local jurors on a criminal case recently), the system is perfectly fine to employ. He came back later asking the judge that local Attorney Joey Arriola’s case be heard through the bench because he fears local juries can’t convict their own people. Isn’t this assertion riddled with contradiction and bigotry?
Realizing that he’s said something that is best left unsaid that could only be expected from a moronic and rookie legal eagle, he came running into the court apologizing for his so-called slip of the tongue. A bit too late, sir, in that your racist statement shows your whitish view of the local people whose tax money you gladly take home biweekly. Whether it is earned or unearned is yet another matter.
Your racist remarks illuminated your true colors in the Arriola case. Why are you people so nervous of a jury trial if you have a strong case against Mr. Arriola? Perhaps the AG’s Office should examine its performance in recent criminal cases.
If only you had researched how many locals have been sent to the slammer in both federal and superior courts by local juries, you would have ascertained that the “brain is in gear before engaging the mouth” so to speak. Closer to home, you would have looked back at last January when you won your case using, read carefully now, local jurors.
Despite your scramble at damage control, sir, the cat is out of the bag; so it’s useless to retract a statement that has already been trumpeted by the news media. Having stated and retracted your statement that crystallized your racist attitude on the Arriola case, do you still think you can handle this matter on a professional basis? Sir, you’ve done nothing but show our people your despicable white male superiority complex that has no place in these isles.
At best, ask a fellow attorney to handle it so he could improve the performance record of the AG’s Criminal Division. After that’s done, submit your resignation for you can no longer function effectively even as a rookie legal eagle given your racist attitude on local juries.
I have formed a Committee of One to see you off at the Saipan International Airport. But before that, I think I would have to strongly recommend that the Senate Committee Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigation, in concert with the House Committee on Judiciary Government and Law, conducts an oversight hearing on your “inappropriate statement”.
Finally, your egregious statement definitely deserves review by the CNMI Bar Association. If suspension or disbarment is in order, I say so be it. No wonder the performance of the AG’s Office is far from credible. Our people no longer trust the AG’s ability to prosecute cases given your bigoted mind-set and cases allegedly thrown under the rug because they’re politically too hot and complicated for the knee-jerk bunch at the Criminal Division.. It’s time to do house cleaning for more than half our problem with the lack of law enforcement emanates from the Attorney General’s Office. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Strictly a personal view. John S. DelRosario Jr. is publisher of Saipan Tribune.
