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CARTER, James E. (1924 - ), President. Typed letter signed ("Jimmy Carter"), as governor of Georgia, to Martin Toly, Atlanta, Georgia, 19 March 1974. 2 pages, 4to, on Executive Department stationery.
"I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WOULD BE PROPER TO GIVE HER ANY SPECIAL PRIVILEGES SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE IS WHITE AND A COLLEGE STUDENT."
CARTER DECLINES TO HELP A STUDENT CONVICTED OF STEALING A ROCKING CHAIR. A New York man writes to then Georgia governor Jimmy Carter about what he considered the harsh sentence meted out to Eve Pearson, a young college student convicted for stealing a chair. Carter explains that under Georgia law, he has no powers to interfere with judicial sentencing, or the operations of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. In any event he seems to have scant sympathy for the young convict. "Miss Pearson was caught in the act of stealing a rocking chair from a closed house," he writes. "She 'opened' the house and removed the chair."
The district attorney recommended that she take a plea deal, but Pearson refused and demanded a jury trial in which she was found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail. Carter acknowledges that "If I had been the judge, my decision would probably have been to place her on probation." But Pearson was being allowed to continue her college studies, and was being considered for a work release program. "I do not believe it would be proper to give her any special privileges simply because she is white and a college student. There are many other inmates in Georgia and throughout the country who have received stiffer sentences for lesser crimes. This is unfortunate, but true." Carter also points out that "at no time during all these events has Eve Pearson ever indicated that she did anything wrong, nor has she shown any sign of regret or repentance for having taken the chair."
"I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WOULD BE PROPER TO GIVE HER ANY SPECIAL PRIVILEGES SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE IS WHITE AND A COLLEGE STUDENT."
CARTER DECLINES TO HELP A STUDENT CONVICTED OF STEALING A ROCKING CHAIR. A New York man writes to then Georgia governor Jimmy Carter about what he considered the harsh sentence meted out to Eve Pearson, a young college student convicted for stealing a chair. Carter explains that under Georgia law, he has no powers to interfere with judicial sentencing, or the operations of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. In any event he seems to have scant sympathy for the young convict. "Miss Pearson was caught in the act of stealing a rocking chair from a closed house," he writes. "She 'opened' the house and removed the chair."
The district attorney recommended that she take a plea deal, but Pearson refused and demanded a jury trial in which she was found guilty and sentenced to a year in jail. Carter acknowledges that "If I had been the judge, my decision would probably have been to place her on probation." But Pearson was being allowed to continue her college studies, and was being considered for a work release program. "I do not believe it would be proper to give her any special privileges simply because she is white and a college student. There are many other inmates in Georgia and throughout the country who have received stiffer sentences for lesser crimes. This is unfortunate, but true." Carter also points out that "at no time during all these events has Eve Pearson ever indicated that she did anything wrong, nor has she shown any sign of regret or repentance for having taken the chair."