Law Students who believe the Criminal Justice System Can Do Better
We don’t just think the criminal system should do better. We know it can. And we demand it do so.
We hope those who access this blog leave more attuned to the racial and social injustices in our legal system. These injustices are not only a result of discriminatory application but trace back to the foundations of a system built to harm members of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities.
The ultimate goal of this blog is to engage University of Montana ABIII law students and our surrounding community in discussion on and action against the racial and social injustices in the United States so to inspire change through the law.
FOUNDING BLOG EDITORS
In the early stages of this project: Daniel Horton was a 3L with the University of Montana School of Law. Daniel served on the board of Parents, Allies and Caregivers, a student group to support student-parents. Daniel also helped revive the Montana Black Law Student Association. Further, he interned under the ABA student practice rule as a Public Defender for the State of Colorado with their La Junta Regional Office.
“Every person must decide whether they will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.”
-James Baldwin
In the early stages of this project: Lauren Moose was a 2L at the University of Montana School of Law. She worked alongside Professor King-Ries as his Criminal Law teaching assistant. Lauren was on the 2020-2021 Montana Law Review staff and proudly involved with a number of ABIII student groups.
In the early stages of this project: Emily J. Bolan was a 3L at the University of Montana School of Law. She is the former Vice President of the UM Chapter of the Native American Law Students (NALSA), and competed in the Spring 2020 NALSA Moot Court Competition at Berkley Law. She had spent the prior year and a half practicing as a Deputy Prosecutor and legal intern with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
. .when the Israelis or the Poles pick up guns and say ‘give me liberty or give me death,’ the entire white world applauds. When a Black man says exactly the same thing, he is judged a criminal and treated like one.”
– JAMES BALDWIN
Criminal Injustice System 