‘What the Hell?': Don Lemon Rips Judge for Calling Roof’s Family ‘Victims’

[Surya Gayatri]

Right after the Charleston victims’ families confronted Dylann Storm Roof and said they forgive him, CNN’s Don Lemon really went after the judge in the courtroom for referring to Roof’s family as “victims.”

Before the families spoke, Judge James Gosnell said, “We also have victims on the other side. There are victims on this young man’s side of the family.”

Lemon was really taken aback by how he could say that when the grieving families of the nine actual victims were in the courtroom, and asked, “What the hell is he talking about?”

Sunny Hostin agreed and excoriated the judge for his “really inappropriate” and tone deaf remarks, the likes of which she’d never heard from a judge in this context before.

[JI7]

1. would people ever say that about a young black person who did that ?

or even much less. they attack parents of black kids who do things like play loud music or how they dress.

all you have to do in many of these cases like the zimmerman shooting, the cops and pool kids etc is just imagine if the races were switched and would that still be happening ?

[Surya Gayatri]

2. Unimaginable. Not even in your dreams.

[akbacchus_BC]

3. The presiding judge was wrong, period! He was not there to

lecture anyone, he should have done his job. By the way, this same judge called someone the N word, did you miss that?

[Surya Gayatri]

4. No, I heard about that. No surprise there.

And, yes, his self-righteous preaching to the real victims that they 'must' forgive was OTT!

[malaise]

5. Lemon and many others were pissed that those were his opening remarks

It was totally inappropriate.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Totally misplaced and an affront to the REAL victims who were sitting right there in front of him.

Racist, N-word-using hater, masquerading as an impartial judge.

[akbacchus_BC]

7. Am confused! Seems as though you were initially against John Lemon making that comment!

Did you change your mind that the presiding Judge's comment was inappropriate? Just curious.

[malaise]

8. Yes and these are the folks

who talk about centuries of hate in the Middle East. They sure hate them for their freedoms.

[Surya Gayatri]

12. I swear, malaise, I don't know how POC keep it together when confronted with this crap

on a daily basis. I stand in humble awe before their dignity and restraint.

[malaise]

17. I have mixed feelings on that

Sometimes the only way to deal with bullies is to give them a good beating - African-Americans and Afro-Caribbean folks spend too much time believing in an afterlife.
400 plus years of forgiving hasn't delivered much.

[Surya Gayatri]

9. The headline may have been a bit misleading, but I just copied it

from Mediaite and YouTube.

"WHAT THE HELL" is simply a direct quote from Lemon himself, which I TOTALLY and utterly agree with!

was my own reaction when I heard that race-baiting judge blathering on about 'healing' and 'forgiveness' for the perp's family when the real victims were right there in his damn court.

[akbacchus_BC]

11. I believe I mis read your comment and I apologise!

I hope we are on the same page as I found the judge's comments really inappropriate. The focus should have been on the survivors of the people who were killed, instead, he went on and on on the killer's family needing support. In as much as I agree to a certain point, it was the wrong time.

[Surya Gayatri]

14. No problem, and we are definitely on the same page!

He was pontificating through his racist filter. If 'understanding and healing' was called for, it had to be for the 'white victims' first and foremost.

[akbacchus_BC]

16. Thank you so much for understanding and accepting my apology.

According to one of the people who was interviewed, it seems as though the presiding judge is old school and of course prejudiced, hence he felt the need to lecture the real victims. I just wish all this racism could stop. Imagine, people are not even safe in a Church, that is really mind boggling. And a kid of 21 years was planning such an atrocity is beyond comprehension. Where do they get this hatred from for another human being?

[Surya Gayatri]

19. When I think about it, the whole thing--the victims' vulnerability, the perp's lethal hatred--

I get teared up. And, I'm not an easy crier!

[JI7]

10. isn't this the Judge that used the N word some years back ?

[akbacchus_BC]

13. Yes, and he was reprimanded for it.

He should not have been presiding over this case but as you know, justice is never served. When he went on his rant about the killer's family needing support, I was flabergasted.

[Vinca]

15. "Victim" is a bad word for the family. At least the ones who gave the psycho his gun.

"Accomplice" is closer.

[Surya Gayatri]

25. There's 'enabler' as well...

[Cha]

18. The remarks about the family of the killer being victims were stupid.. way too soon. Their

killer son is alive is he not?

Yeah, they're going to have to bear the shame of what he did.. but not on the same level as losing your loved ones to a freaking racist fucking massacre.

[Surya Gayatri]

21. SO true, Cha. They only have to contend with the ravenous press--not with

planning a funeral and adjusting to the absence of a loved one.

Totally racist-tinged, tone-deaf rhetoric from that n-word-using judge.

[Marrah_G]

20. Hopefully this will end up in federal court and away from these yahoos

This judge was also reprimanded for using the word n*** in court a few years back. There will be no justice found in SC courts for these victims

[mythology]

22. They may well be victims

Their son isn't physically dead, but they do have to come to grips with the fact that from all the evidence their son just committed 9 murders. I'm guessing that even if they are racists, that wasn't part of their plan for how he would turn out.

Roof isn't going to see freedom again ever. His family lost him with these murders. Sure not in the same way as the families of the dead, but it is certainly a shock to their lives as well.

And that's before you get into the fact that many people will blame his parents for him doing this, whether it's in assuming that they taught him to be racist, or if they gave him the gun, or in not seeing this coming.

[Surya Gayatri]

23. Okay, point taken... but the time and place for such commiserating were totally inappropriate.

The real, grieving survivors were sitting right in front of him, FFS.

[randome]

24. And if the family IS to blame for Roof's racist beliefs, are they still victims?

You have no idea what his family thinks of him. Maybe they don't really give a shit that he's a mass murderer.

The judge calling them victims edges on prejudicing a future jury.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font][hr]

[mnhtnbb]

26. I couldn't believe it when I heard it.

Totally inappropriate remark from the judge.

The family is feeling the effects, though. Roof's sister was supposed to
be married today. The wedding has been postponed. One has to wonder
whether the groom might eventually back out, too, in reconsidering the
family that would become his in-laws.

You really have to wonder about a guy who goes out to murder people in cold blood with his sister's
wedding planned for the weekend. Something strange is going on in that family.

And the WP article has interesting information--possibly about where Roof was headed--in that he was arrested
in NC only about 3 miles from where his sister's fiance was living. Very strange. And apparently it was the sister,
not the father or uncle, who tipped off law enforcement as to the identity of the killer in the church surveillance
photos.

http://www.people.com/article/charleston-church-massacre-dylann-roofs-sister-cancels-wedding

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/accused-killer-in-sc-slayings-described-as-a-quiet-loner/2015/06/18/a4127390-15d0-11e5-89f3-61410da94eb1_story.html

[LisaL]

27. From what I heard on the news, sister, father and uncle all reported him (separately).

[mnhtnbb]

33. These articles about the postponement of the wedding are first time I've seen

that the sister reported him. Makes you wonder whether she first identified him, called
the father? called the uncle? or some kind of family phone contact happened and
they all called police? I would be surprised if all of them did it independently without
talking to others, though.

Also makes you wonder if any/all of them tried to call Roof himself. Or got through.

[randome]

39. The same father who gave him a gun on his birthday? I find that hard to believe.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]The truth doesn’t always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one you’re already in.[/center][/font][hr]

[Surya Gayatri]

29. Me neither. The first time I thought I was imaging things. Totally gobsmacked!

[mnhtnbb]

32. I was watching it on TV. Couldn't believe my ears!

[Surya Gayatri]

36. I was watching on France 24 in Paris and thought soebody had mistranslated! LOL!

[davidn3600]

28. BTW, this judge will almost certainly not be the trial judge

Judges in death penalty cases are chosen very carefully. This judge is likely only attached to the case right now to handle first appearance, bail, and other preliminary stuff that is just standard operating procedures.

The actual trial is not likely to take place for quite some time. These cases can take years. I wouldnt expect this to go to actual trial before 2018 unless he plea deals or something.

[mnhtnbb]

30. There were two court dates set during that bond hearing

one in October and one in February 2016. I couldn't tell
what the purpose was, though, for the dates. Related to the weapons charge only?

[Surya Gayatri]

31. Let's hope so. For the sake of justice, this closet racist, n-word lover must never preside.

[alphafemale]

34. Completely uncalled for and inappropriate. This is a judge that has said --

“There are four kinds of people in this world—black people, white people, red necks, and niggars,”

Going to leave his quote as is even at the risk of a ban hammer.

Just to show how inappropriate he has been.

[Surya Gayatri]

37. No gripe from me!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

38. I was taught there were two types of people-nice people and mean people!

eom

[MoonRiver]

35. He showed his true colors, and they were ugly.

Fortunately he will have nothing more to do with this case.