Friday, September 11, 2009

Korla Pandit (1921-98) and Iron Eyes Cody (1904-99)

Two of my childhood heroes on television during my childhood weren't who they said they were. Only after their deaths did the truth come out.


You probably remember Korla Pandit who was a mainstay at KTLA in Los Angeles from the station's beginnings in 1947 through the early 1960s. Korla was the fantastic organist who never spoke put played such great ethnic music. He wore a turban with a jewel and a stylish dress suit. The programs were 45 minutes long with no talking and no commercials. Even though the program lasted less than an hour, you wished it would go on much longer. Korla was born in New Delhi, India, to a Brahman priest and a French opera singer, who learned to play the organ as a child in France and England.

After his death, his website told the truth about Korla Pandit: He was born John Roland Redd in St. Louis , Missouri. His father, John S. Redd, was a Baptist minister. And they were black!

He began working in radio as a musician in 1938 in Des Moines, Iowa. A few years after this he moved to Los Angeles where his sister, Frances Redd, was working in a radio drama called the Midnight Shadow. John had been working as a musician under the name Juan Rolando. He married a fellow show business worker, Beryl DeBeeson, but because she was white, they married in Tijuana, as interracial marriages were illegal in California for many years after this. His wife came up with a new character, using one of the characters of his sister's radio series, Prince Alihabad. John's new name was Korla Pandit. Through their research they found it was a legitimate sounding name and Beryl would also be playing a role in this game and the Korla Pandit name change was made legal.

Iron Eyes Cody was famous around the world. If he was in a movie or a TV show, we knew it was authentic because he was a real Indian. We knew him to be of the Cherokee and Cree tribes and grew up in a Sioux reservation. We figured that's why the costume he wore had so many different patterns in it.

My ex-wife and I loved reading his autobiography, Iron Eyes Cody: My Life as a Hollywood Indian. He wrote about his work in Hollywood beginning in 1927 and service with the U.S. Military Academy, teaching about the history of the U.S. Army and the Indians in the Western United States. He was our hero!

Then he died. About a year after his death the story broke out that he was really the child of Italian immigrants who grew up in the town of Gueydan, Lousisiana, where his parents owned a mom and pop grocery store. We were sorely disappointed. Iron Eyes was no more an Indian than the local actors who were hired for spaghetti westerns made in Italy and Spain. His real name was Espera Oscar DeCorti.

An Indian and an Indian.. neither of whom really was...


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  2. What Is Prosecutorial Misconduct?




    To commit prosecutorial misconduct is to deviate from professional standards of conduct while prosecuting an individual. That's contradictory to the Justice Department's aims since it makes it more difficult for "justice to triumph." Due to their professional responsibility and the Constitution of the United States, prosecutors are required to guarantee that criminal cases are handled fairly. Van Nuys Criminal Attorney A prosecutor's inability to take action when necessary might result in a false conviction or an unjustified sentence. Prosecutors are required by law to uphold the rule of law and carry out their duties in a timely, consistent, and equitable manner. Human dignity and human rights must be protected and defended by specialists in the criminal justice system, guaranteeing its proper functioning. Prosecutors have a great deal of power and influence over the whole legal process, from the initial investigation and formulation of charges to the recommendation of the appropriate sentencing following a conviction.




    Prosecutorial Misconduct Defined




    When a prosecutor engages in unethical or unlawful behavior while handling a criminal case, the phrase "prosecutorial misconduct" applies. When a prosecutor brings a bogus lawsuit against someone, it is known as malicious prosecution. This violation is distinct from malicious prosecution Leah Legal Criminal Defense. Dishonest or unjust methods are used to secure a defendant's conviction in prosecutorial misconduct. Prosecutors are in a position of great influence. As a result, the duties and expectations of those in these positions are more stringent, as are the professional ethics expected of them. Misbehavior can result in a court reversing a conviction in order to provide a defendant a chance at a fresh start. Other steps a judge can take after unveiling prosecutorial misconduct include:



    * Ask jurors to disregard particular comments or evidence

    * Grant a retrial under Penal Code 1181




    Prosecutor's functions are critical throughout the criminal justice system. Misconduct can impact the result of a trial regardless of the phase in which it happens. The main types of prosecutorial misconduct include:




    * Withholding evidence that can clear a defendant’s name from fault (exculpatory evidence)

    * Presenting fabricated evidence

    * The use of improper arguments

    * Using discriminatory tactics during jury selection




    Withholding Evidence from the Defense




    Explanatory evidence, often known as "Brady material," refers to any evidence that might exonerate a defendant of any wrongdoing or blame Criminal Lawyer. Withholding evidence that may clear a defendant is a blatant violation of the rule of law in a criminal trial. The court relies on evidence to determine whether a defendant is guilty and what sentence is appropriate. The conviction of an innocent person can be caused by a prosecutor's inability to disclose evidence that can relieve a defendant from culpability. When prosecutors commit a Brady violation, they are committing a type of prosecutorial misconduct. As a result, they hinder the jury from examining admissible evidence that supports the defendant's innocence. It is more likely that the offender will be sentenced to time in prison if jurors cannot see this information.

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