A Broken Justice System: When Excellence and Integrity Are Weaponized

On Monday in a Brooklyn courtroom, I was silenced.

My attempt to share my Victim Impact Statement at my brother’s sentencing hearing was cut short. But no courtroom can suppress the truth—or my voice—as I lay bare the injustice we are living and the brokenness of a system that targets the very communities it claims to protect.

My brother, an innovative entrepreneur and visionary, was handed a punishment three times harsher than customary for a first-time offender. For what? Running a company, OZY Media, that harmed no one and brought fresh, diverse ideas to a media landscape starving for innovation. Yet, he was prosecuted—not for what he did, but for what he represented: Black excellence.

OZY: A Symbol of Innovation and Promise

OZY Media was special. It was a platform for the curious—a company dedicated to highlighting the new, the next, and the overlooked. It was a family-inspired, Black-owned business that provided space for diverse voices and fresh ideas. In a country that so often pushes Black businesses to the margins, OZY stood tall. Its very existence defied expectations—and that defiance was punished.

The government’s weaponization of conspiracy charges and their refusal to allow key exculpatory evidence during trial tells a more sinister story: one of systemic bias. They twisted actions of integrity—like hiring independent auditors—into something nefarious. The prosecution was not about truth; it was about destruction.

The Weaponization of Justice

As a lawyer dedicated to social justice, I’ve spent my career dismantling systems of inequity. But nothing prepared me for the heartbreak of watching my own family fall victim to this machine. I watched prosecutors—Jonathan Siegal, Dylan Stern, and Gillian Kassner—employ a playbook designed not for justice, but for conviction at any cost. A conflicted judge, acting more like a fourth prosecutor, excluded evidence, dismissed witnesses, and gave faulty jury instructions. This was not a fair trial; it was a calculated takedown.

The statistics speak volumes: 90% of those prosecuted by this team are Black or Brown in a courtroom that is overwhelmingly white. When excellence cannot be ignored, it is often weaponized. My brother’s company was not broken—but our justice system is.

A Legacy of Resilience

Growing up, our parents instilled in us the value of hard work, community, and faith. I carry the sacrifices of my ancestors with me: my maternal great-grandfather, a runaway slave who fought for his right to freedom, and my paternal grandfather, who left Jamaica to give his children a better life. My maternal grandmother, who raised 7 children by herself as a widow, ensuring each child attained a graduate degree.? A huge feat for any family, much less a black family in the 1950’s. I honor their legacies when I demand justice, because they endured so we could dream.

We were taught to believe that integrity and hard work would open doors. But over these past years, I have witnessed the opposite—a justice system that slams doors shut on Black excellence and criminalizes success. And yet, I remain hopeful. Because my family’s story does not end here.

Hope in the Face of Injustice

While my heart is heavy, my faith is unshaken. My brother’s appeal offers a chance to expose the deep flaws in this case and fight for his freedom. I am surrounded by a village of family, friends, and community who remind us that we are not alone. They share our outrage, our heartbreak, and our hope.

Langston Hughes once asked, What happens to a dream deferred? For too many, it sags like a heavy load or explodes into despair. But our family’s dreams do not end in a courtroom. The fight for justice—for my brother, for OZY, and for the communities this system continues to fail—is just beginning.

Final Words

I was silenced in that Brooklyn courtroom, but I will not be silent here. My brother’s unjust prosecution is not just our family’s burden; it is a reflection of a broken system that demands reform. We must speak out—for the falsely accused, for the silenced, and for the dreamers who refuse to accept defeat.

My brother may be bowed, but he is not broken. Neither am I. Neither are we.

And that gives me hope.

This piece is dedicated to all who have faced injustice and dared to fight back. The truth will prevail.

For more about Carlos Watson and the OZY Media case, see the Docuseries:

The Troubling Case of Carlos Watson: When They Come for You (Part 1)

The Troubling Case of Carlos Watson: Whose Son is Next? (Part 2)?