In the most detailed profile I've yet seen about Gerald Poindexter, the prosecutor who will decide whether to press charges in the dog fighting investigation surrounding Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, the racial aspect of the investigation gets close scrutiny:
Critics charge that Poindexter, who is black, is dragging his feet because of Vick's status as a popular black celebrity. Poindexter says he refuses to be bullied by outsiders or pressured to bring unwarranted charges.
"There is a tendency, probably in the white community more than the other, to criticize Gerald," said Frank V. Emmerson, clerk of the Surry Circuit Court for 35 years and now retired. "I can't remember a time I've seen him fail to prosecute somebody who should be prosecuted. He's probably just feeling his way, very cautiously."...
Several county officials say they've heard concerns that Poindexter is protecting Vick because he is black. They say it all dates back to a decades-old racial rift in Surry, and that's when Poindexter was first hired as county attorney in 1972.
I don't sense that Poindexter is protecting Vick because he's black. I do sense that Poindexter, as one of only two attorneys in Surry County (population 7,000), is reluctant to take the time and energy necessary to charge a defendant who could afford a legal dream team. It's not Poindexter's fault that he doesn't have the resources to take on a man who makes $20 million a year or so in salary and endorsements, but it is Poindexter's fault that he hasn't asked for outside help.
Overall, the profile painted a picture of a prosecutor who is not the right person for this job. "I'm not looking for publicity, and I don't want this," Poindexter said.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.c ... 78&tref=po
