Unfit to Print: RACE TO JUDGMENT
Plus: Trump's rejects left-wing approach to homelessness as he cleans up D.C. streets
Hey y’all, welcome back to Unfit to Print.
Today we’re covering the acquittal of a store owner who says he shot a black teen in self defense, the Trump administration’s new approach to homelessness, and the second attempt at a White House Correspondents Dinner.
RACE TO JUDGMENT
A South Carolina jury just handed down a not guilty verdict in a case that leftists hope will ignite another racial flashpoint in America.
Chikei Rick Chow, a 61-year-old convenience store owner, was acquitted in the 2023 shooting death of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton, who is black. Prosecutors claimed Chow chased Carmack-Belton out of the store after he was falsely accused of shoplifting and shot him in the back. Chow’s defense team said he only shot Carmack-Belton after he pointed a firearm at Chow’s son.
That’s the key detail. Prosecutors admit the teen was armed. They also admitted that Carmack-Belton dropped his firearm during the chase and then picked it up again. But they insisted the teen never intended to fire his gun or threaten anyone. Clearly, the jury was not convinced.
Anti-Chow activists also pointed to the fact that Chow had called police numerous times to his store and had other confrontations with customers. They suggested it was proof Chow had bad intentions. More likely, it’s evidence that police haven’t been doing their jobs to protect the community, leaving vigilante justice the only option for an honest shopkeeper.
The verdict sparked outrage in the courtroom, with Carmack-Belton’s family crying out after Chow was acquitted. Attorney and Democratic South Carolina State Rep. Todd Rutherford framed the outcome in sweeping racial terms, saying it made people feel as if “our children don’t matter.” He also said he plans to help the family pursue a civil lawsuit.
Chow’s defense attorney, meanwhile, said his heart went out to the family while pointing out the obvious: bad things are going to happen when a 14-year-old is walking around Columbia with a loaded semiautomatic pistol.
It is a tragic case. But tragedy does not automatically equal murder, and the jury apparently decided the facts did not match the narrative racial activists wanted. Nonetheless, Chow has already faced severe punishment before being rendered not guilty: he spent three years locked up and his store was vandalized by protesters.
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