(COLUMBUS, OH, 12/4/2024) – The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) today called for an ethics investigation of a Pickaway County judge after a study reportedly showed that Black defendants were consistently sentenced more harshly than white defendants.
A study by conducted by Professor Kat Albrecht of Georgia State University, and based on 1,132 drug-related cases, alleged racial disparities in sentencing by Pickaway County Court of Common Pleas Judge, P. Randall Knece.
The study concluded: “The analyses conducted for this report consistently find that Black and white defendants have differing case outcomes for the analyzed drug cases. Black defendants are more likely to be sentenced to incarceration and less likely to receive alternative sanctions even when considering types of charges, types of drugs, and presence of a prior felony.”
“Based on the disturbing allegations in this study, we urge relevant authorities to conduct an ethics investigation of Judge Knece’s sentencing history,” said CAIR Ohio Executive Director Khalid Turaani. “People of all backgrounds must have confidence that the legal system will treat them fairly, without bias based on race, ethnicity or any other irrelevant factor.”
He noted that CAIR-Ohio recently condemned a neo-Nazi march in Columbus and the distribution of racist Ku Klux Klan (KKK) propaganda.
In August, CAIR-Ohio expressed solidarity with the Haitian community of Springfield after a neo-Nazi organization held a march targeting them.
He said Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
