For perspective, consider that the series began in 1971 and concluded in the late '80s. It comes across in my mind as a 1970s thing. And we saw "progressive" values in vogue then. Our legal system bent over backwards to give defendants rights. Not that the scales of justice shouldn't be balanced in a reasonable way. Things just got a little unreasonable.
The '70s were a time of hangover from some bummer episodes in American history. The Vietnam war greased most of that. We got Watergate which in a sense became an offshoot of the pathetic political circus. So it would seem society wanted to recoil some from a Republican or conservative apparatus that had been led by the likes of Nixon and Agnew.
Nixon thought we should all be grateful that the war was winding down, when in fact this was so belated as to be ridiculous. By then the president's unraveling in other spheres were most evident, so the time came for an attitude adjustment in America. We had to be gentle! We needed a fundamental sense of fairness! We wanted to err on the side of tolerance after our sordid history that included Jim Crow. Gerald Ford was not quite soothing enough, "WIN" buttons notwithstanding (LOL).
God bless Jimmy Carter who certainly meant well. We wanted a kinder, gentler, more patient and more laid-back world. So we got a corresponding tilt in our legal system toward empathizing with the accused. I reference the "Dirty Harry" movie which early-on saw the hero become exasperated by a judge who downright scolded over what she thought was overly aggressive law enforcement. Suspects' "rights" were so important. And of course they ought to be, within reason.
The female judge would have none of the heavy-handed stuff.
Political progressives did very well through most of the '70s, wind at their backs. Extremes on both sides are dangerous, as I feel in 2020 there is palpable danger on the right with our narcissistic president (among other adjectives I could trot out). But I'm putting forth a 1970s time capsule, which in some sense might seem like another planet. Digital? Unheard of. Analog? Definitely. And very definitely: a "gatekeeper" media that felt it wore a real mantle of responsibility.
This was tough for conservatives because so often their pleading for causes is based on emotion. Not to diss that really, or not entirely, but the old paternalistic gatekeeper media used a litmus test friendly to the political left. So shall we say it was fact and reason-based. Temperate reason as opposed to what Fox News today foists on us so much.
Alas, the tolerant side in our legal system went too far. The courtroom scene in "Dirty Harry" is testament.
I have opined before that the bad guys in "Dirty Harry" movies seemed to me like guys who were basically bored. The ultimate dawn of the digital age did so much to wipe out boredom, we take it for granted now. Imagine living in the '70s environment again. Were you to be forced, you could faint from culture shock. Not sure that's even an exaggeration.
Remembering Lyman Bostock
The lax legal system of the time is illustrated nowhere better than in the murder of young superstar baseball player Lyman Bostock. As a Minnesotan I embrace memories of Bostock from when the superb hitter plied his talent at our "Met," Metropolitan Stadium. Bostock got established as a major leaguer in Twins-land.
It was bound to be a bittersweet story because at that stage in Twins history, it was becoming clear that our original owner, Calvin Griffith, wasn't going to cut it in the new baseball universe of mega-bucks. Bowie Kuhn in his autobiography described the Griffith family - it was a family business - as "church mice." BTW I had a much higher opinion of Kuhn after reading his book.
We suspected that Bostock would break our hearts by becoming a star and then accepting a higher offer to leave. Which ultimately happened. He went to the California Angels and was taking steps in what might have turned out to be a Hall of Fame career. He seems so forgotten now and that's sad.
Responding to "Minnesota nice"
I remember being in the Met Stadium parking lot one nice sunny day in the '70s, too early because I had misunderstood the schedule information for a doubleheader. No problem. I enjoyed hanging around for a time in the parking lot, a sprawling lot as you might recall, and some other fans were there. Players were arriving. So Lyman Bostock pulls into a spot and steps out very close to me. A sweet middle-aged woman who was the epitome of "Minnesota nice" said "good luck in your game today."
Lyman did not come from the "Minnesota nice" background but he handled this patter just fine. He nodded agreeably. I believe he was wearing a denim jacket.
I wish my reminiscences of Mr. Bostock could end right here. But there's the horribly tragic end, his murder under freak circumstances in Gary, Indiana.
Why was he in Gary? The Angels had completed a game in Chicago. Lyman went to visit his uncle Ed Turner. The two were in a car with two women who were long-time family friends. One of the women was the estranged wife of a man named Leonard Smith. It was September of 1978. The time of day was 10:40 p.m. when Smith drove up to the Bostock car. An argument ensued. Turner tried to evade the guy, unsuccessfully. Fate had a traffic signal turn red. Out comes a shotgun. A blast went into the back seat of the Bostock car. Lyman got a mortal wound on the side of the head.
We learn it was a "jealous rage" and so it's murder, right?
Muddying legal waters
Smith was an unemployed steelworker. He was arrested seven hours after the shooting. He got an attorney who argued temporary insanity. The jury became deadlocked and a new trial was called for. The new trial had the defense positioned to do well, based on the climate of the times? The empathetic, touchy-feely tolerant climate? That would seem to be a fair interpretation. It's mine. The attorney persuaded a jury to acquit Smith. "Innocent by reason of insanity."
"Dirty Harry" would cringe. But the wheels of "justice" turn. Smith did have to undergo psychiatric care at the Indiana state mental hospital. He spent less than a year there. He was judged no longer in need of such care, so he was released to freedom, to the considerable chagrin of many. The prosecutor was fit to be tied but to no avail. Clint Eastwood's grimace in the courtroom would go nowhere, except maybe to persuade movie audiences that our culture needed some tweaking, some discipline.
"The verdict and release pushed Indiana to change its laws to allow those found mentally impaired to also be found guilty and imprisoned," we learn in Bostock's SABR profile.
Why couldn't Bostock have just stayed away from Gary, Indiana? The Lord works in ways mysterious. The young man was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He was raised by his mother and grandmother - his parents separated before his birth.
What a splash he'd make with our Twins: he batted .323 in a stellar 1976 season, fourth in the American League. This was the batting race that ended in controversy as the Twins may have conspired through disgusting tactics - was Gene March a party? - to make sure George Brett eked out the batting title over (player of color) Hal McRae. I have written a whole blog post about that episode. Could you imagine how ESPN and the other sports specialty channels would descend on that subject today and pick it to the bone? Which I actually think would be a good thing.
But the mid-'70s were so different. Life moved so slow. People were cynical and it had to change. I wish Lyman had been along for the whole ride to our more prosperous universe. Lyman Bostock, RIP.
- Brian Williams, morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment