There are certain civil rights violations committed by American law enforcement and courts that hearken back to the worst abuses of the Jim Crow era, or at least bring to mind legal processes in the most backwardly undemocratic countries in the world. The Jason Vassell incident is a prime example of such a violation. This was a startling event because of its recent occurrence and its location in one of the most “enlightened” municipalities in the nation—Amherst. The fact that the issue was not publicized enough is in itself a shame.

Jason Vassell is a 23-year-old black student who majored in biology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He lived on the bottom floor of his dormitory in the Southwest residential area. On Feb. 3, two women who were visiting Vassell’s dorm happened to open a window and find a man’s face pressed against the glass, staring directly at them. When Vassell asked the man to explain himself, he allegedly began to shout a series of racist tirades and threats to kill Vassell. When Vassell told the man to leave, he instead proceeded to kick in the window of Vassell’s room. Vassell had a small pocketknife with him, which ultimately saved his life, even as it would become the cause of his future travails.

The women immediately left the room and called the police. While waiting for the police to arrive, Vassell reportedly called a friend for support. When he opened the door to allow the friend into the dorm, he realized that there were, in fact, two men who were seeking to kill or at least brutally maim Vassell. The two assailants, neither of them UMass students, entered the dormitory and repeatedly beat Vassell, inflicting severe injuries, including a broken nose and a serious concussion. This was when Vassell stabbed his attackers.

Because of this, Vassell has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors maintain that there is not enough evidence to prove that Vassell was the victim of a hate crime, though the broken window, the witnesses who were present in the dorm when it happened and, most clearly, Vassell’s serious injuries ought to speak for themselves. The fact that Vassell stabbed his attackers after they had already given him a concussion and a broken nose makes it quite clear that he wounded them just before they had the chance to leave him for dead. For this act of self-defense, Vassell could face up to 30 years in prison.

The unsavory nature of Vassell’s two assailants has not, thus far, worked in his favor legally. The first attacker is John Bowes, age 20, of Hancock, N.H. and the other is Jonathan Bosse, age 19, of Milton, Mass. Bowes, considered the chief aggressor, has previously been charged with a racially motivated assault for which he faces a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison. The second man, Bosse, has not been charged with any crime.

Another factor working against Jason Vassell’s chances of freedom is his prior indictment for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon. However, Vassell was not convicted of this charge, and many people have vouched for his good character.

Vassell’s parents immigrated from Jamaica last April for their son’s arraignment, where 70 supporters were also present. According to Massachusetts Crime News, Vassell is well-loved among his peers and is known among friends as a hardworking volunteer and tutor for younger students as well as for disabled children.

No longer a student UMass, Vassell was released after paying a bail of $1,000. His pre-trial was held last week on Sept. 29, and there is still time for anyone to do their utmost and make sure that justice is served for Vassell. Already, support has reached admirable heights. Two hundred UMass students and faculty held a rally just a month after he was attacked, and several silent vigils in support of justice for Vassell have been held at the court during the pre-trials, including John Bowes’ pre-trial in August. However, while there has indeed been an outpouring of support and concern, chiefly from the UMass community, people outside of UMass and Western Massachusetts remain unaware of this major judicial travesty.

There are ways to help prevent an unjust verdict. A new petition, which can be found at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/J4JDismissalofcharges, calls for the dismissal of all charges against Vassell, and as many people as possible ought to sign it. Another option is to write a hand-written letter to Hampshire County District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel explaining the reasons why the two assailants must be convicted and Vassell let go, and why nothing less is satisfactory. This incident and the way our justice system has been responding to it so far are galling, and therefore a strong reaction on the public’s part is quite justifiable.