A motions hearing in Berrien County, Michigan on Feb. 27 resulted in the denial of imprisoned community leader Rev. Edward Pinkney bond pending the outcome of an appeal filed in an attempt to overturn his conviction on five felony forgery charges last year.
Pinkney was convicted by an all-white jury in November and he was sentenced to 30-120 months in prison on Dec. 15. He is currently housed at Marquette Correctional Facility, a 10-12 hour drive from his home in Benton Township.
He was indicted after a group of residents collected enough signatures of registered voters seeking to recall Benton Harbor Mayor James Hightower. Dissatisfaction with Hightower stemmed from the poor economic conditions in the majority African American city where unemployment and poverty are widespread.
Benton Harbor is a city of approximately 10,000 people in southwest Michigan. Nearly 90 percent of the population is African American yet across the bridge in St. Joseph, the seat of the county, the city is nearly all-white and far more affluent.
According to the United States Census data for 2009-2013, over 48 percent of the residents of Benton Harbor live below the poverty line. The median income per household in Benton Harbor is $18,000 annually.
The estimated per capita income for Benton Harbor is $9,500 yearly. Due to the high rate of unemployment and home foreclosures, only 35 percent of the residents live in their own homes.
Political Implications of the Case
Pinkney, who heads the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization (BANCO) in Berrien County, was charged and convicted for allegedly changing the dates on five signatures on the recall petitions. However, during the trial not one witness claimed to have seen the defendant change any dates on the petitions.
As a result of a Michigan appeals court decision the recall election was cancelled and Hightower remains in office although he is facing reelection later this year. Supporters of the recall including BANCO accused Hightower of being a surrogate of Whirlpool Corporation which is based in Benton Harbor.