Dear Rodney Reed,

I am sorry this system has failed you once again. 

I am sorry you are paying for a crime you did not commit,

but more than that…

I am sorry your life is on the line because people in positions of power are unable to see beyond the colour of your skin.

I am sorry you are part of the 89% of the African American community in the United States of America facing the death penalty. 

I am sorry your life has become a statistic

I am sorry this isn’t the first time we are hearing this story,

I am sorry it’s your name on the headlines. 

I am sorry your future was decided by 12 people carrying privileges and a bias they would never admit to,

but would sit at the edge of their seat,

Serving what they thought was justice.

I am sorry you have never known the meaning of true justice. 

They said,

You carried guilt,

That your face hung low in shame,

for what you had done.

They didn’t know all you had done, 

was expect too much from society.

I am sorry that despite a man holds a sworn affidavit in his hands-

a sworn testimony- that you did not do this;

You could be taken from us far too soon. 

In 16 days, the world will mourn for you,

They will protest: we will grieve,

but the headline will switch to something else. 

 

In 2 years: maybe less,

the same story will fall into our hands. 

Injustice will be felt for a few weeks, maybe months or years this time, 

But the world will move on.

I’m sorry we always move on. 

I am sorry the injustice you are facing will never get the attention it deserves.

I am sorry this will end as just another statistic, 

I am sorry society will never learn.

The system stands proudly behind the belief that all

are innocent until proven guilty.

I am sorry the system never worked for you.

You were guilty of having the wrong skin colour, 

the wrong background;

It was a lifetime conviction. 

You never had the opportunity to be truly free in our society, 

And I am sorriest for that. 

I am sorry Rodney Reed because,

even if this justice system comes to its senses,

sees beyond the colour of your skin,

sees a man who holds nothing but love within,

You will never have justice. 

I am sorry that word has lost meaning to you. 

Me being sorry does nothing for the 21 years you have lost, 

behind cold bars that didn’t care about your truth, 

didn’t care about you, beyond your name. 

Me being sorry does nothing for the pain your family has had to endure.

Me being sorry does nothing for the time you spent holding out hope,

Never getting what you truly deserved.

But I am sorry Rodney Reed, 

You deserve more from society.

You deserve justice. 

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