Aljerwon Moran: Can a Black man get George Zimmerman’s verdict?

by Laquita Winn

In the aftermath of the not guilty verdict of George Zimmerman for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, some have wondered would an African-American receive the same degree of justice in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. The verdict in Aljerwon Moran’s trial strongly proves the answer to that question is no.

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Like George Zimmerman, Aljerwon Moran, a 23-year-old African American man, was accused of second degree murder. Zimmerman and Moran both admitted to pulling the trigger causing the death of another human being. Both alleged the homicide was done in self-defense. However, Zimmerman is a free man – and Moran is sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail.

Unlike Zimmerman, Moran was not tracking an unarmed teenager through an apartment complex. Aljerwon Moran and Lawrence Potter, both African American men with no criminal record, were in Moran’s girlfriend’s apartment playing video games when they heard a knock on the front door. When Moran cracked the door to see who was knocking, two men with ski masks barged into the apartment.

The two young men fought for their lives with the two robbers. Moran was able to free one of his arms during the brawl to get his firearm from under the couch. Moran discharged his firearm at the robbers to protect himself and his best friend. The two robbers fled the apartment and away from the scene.

Moran was not sure whether he had shot either of the robbers. However, one of the robbers was lying dead in a dark area on the apartment front yard. The other robber, Marvin Fritz from Detroit, Michigan, was shot also. Fritz was able to run a block down the street to the residence he was staying and get transportation to the hospital. Allegedly, a neighbor across the street saw Mr. Marvin Fritz flee the scene with a gun in his hand – a key piece of evidence that was not allowed in the trial.

Two female friends of the robbers, who did not know Aljerwon Moran or Lawrence Potter or anything about the shooting, were interviewed by the police. Both women gave statements to the police that they were with the robbers earlier in the day and they heard them planning a robbery of a house in the neighborhood. One of the robbers, Marvin Fritz, had a 10-page criminal history of burglaries, robberies and thefts.

During the time of this incident, Fritz was on parole for robbery and did not have permission to be in Louisiana. However, Fritz stated that this time he was not robbing anyone. Fritz stated he and his cousin were walking to the store in 10 degree weather to get beer. While walking, his cousin informed him he had problems with a man who lived nearby. Fritz stated that he told his cousin, “Let’s go talk to him.”

When they arrived at Moran’s apartment, he questioned Moran about the situation with his cousin. Fritz stated that Moran then swung at him and a fight started between the four men. While fighting with Moran in front of the apartment on the front lawn he saw his cousin pinned down on his stomach near the fence by Moran’s friend. Fritz then heard two gunshots, so he went toward his cousin to render assistance. While running to help his cousin, he was shot in the side.

In the aftermath of the not guilty verdict of George Zimmerman for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, some have wondered would an African-American receive the same degree of justice in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. The verdict in Aljerwon Moran’s trial strongly proves the answer to that question is no.

The jury, consisting of eight whites and four Blacks, took the word of a career criminal over two African- American young men with no criminal record. The prosecutor offered Fritz’s testimony to the jury when the police had taken the statements of Fritz’s female friends that he was planning a robbery earlier in the day.

Do not be deceived. African Americans accused of crime are being judged by different criteria than whites accused of crimes. The written law states that all American citizens are innocent until proven guilty. No matter what the written law suggests, Blacks are presumed guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

Do not be deceived. African Americans accused of crime are being judged by different criteria than whites accused of crimes. The written law states that all American citizens are innocent until proven guilty. No matter what the written law suggests, Blacks are presumed guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

The presumption of guilt is the strongest against our Black men. It doesn’t take much evidence to convict a Black man, even with Black jurors. On Moran’s jury, only one Black female juror saw through the deception of Marvin Fritz and judged the case giving Moran the presumption of innocence. The other three Black jurors sided with all eight of the white jurors and found Moran guilty of second degree murder and attempted second degree murder.

Laquita Winn can be reached at laquitawinn5@gmail.com. Send our brother some love and light: Aljerwon Moran, 594012, Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, LA 70712.