Black People Were the Victims of Weaponized Justice. Now Trump Is One of Us

To formerly incarcerated felons like me in the Black community, Trump’s mug shot made him relatable. His multiple indictments made him worthy of sympathy. But his felony conviction on 34 counts makes him one of us—literally. I used to be a Black Robin Hood. In the ’80s and ’90s, I stole from white-owned banks to fund political and cultural events designed to educate the Black community in the inner city of Baltimore. Though I was a first-time offender when I was caught and no one was hurt during any of my crimes, thanks to Joe Biden‘s 1994 crime bill, I got an unheard of 52 years in prison. And thanks to Donald Trump‘s 2019 First Step Act, I was released from prison. Now, the same criminal justice system that was weaponized against me and other Black Americans—a justice system that Trump reformed—is being used to keep Trump from winning the presidency for a second time. Last Thursday, former President Donald Trump was found guilty of accounting entries that constituted falsifying documents in order to influence the 2016 election. This is the first time a former president and current presidential candidate has ever been convicted of a felony. If he defeats...