Justice rarely extends to the Outsider

As I took my seat between two more experienced journalists than myself the accused man approached the prisoner’s dock and it became immediately apparent that he was unusual. He walked with almost a spring in his step, as though he was glad to be there which was strange. As the case began witnesses were called to speak and it was clear from most accounts that this was a man without emotion or mercy. The man before me didn’t shed a tear at his own mother’s funeral and then went on with his life as though nothing had occurred starting an affair with a woman, going for swims and seeing movies. He also killed an Arab on a beach. This was no man that was being dealt with but a monster.

Justice rarely extends to outsiders who don’t fit in. True justice is hard to be achieved especially when minorities are involved. In The Outsider, Meursault and the Arab he killed, ‘K’ Raggett from Little Boy Lost and the Palestinian families living in Gaza in Stone Cold Justice all have not received justice and are all outsiders in their own way proving that justice is seldom for them.

In Albert Camus’ The Outsider, Meursault does not receive justice in many ways during his trial. Before it even starts it is clear he is poorly represented, as his lawyer does not put in the maximal effort to win the case. Meursault may have been difficult to cooperate with but that shouldn’t have any effect on how his lawyer defends for him. Meursault is also very misunderstood which is proven by the testimonies of the witnesses. He is portrayed as someone who is a merciless, cold and calculating killer, whereas in truth he is just someone who thinks that life and everything that is apart of it is meaningless and puts little thought into his actions. He lives in the present and his actions are dictated by whatever is most pleasurable which in some ways leads people’s conclusions of him to think he is inconsiderate. An example of this is the day of his mother’s funeral due to his actions and how it seems he cared little for his mother. It’s through this judging of his character that his actions are overlooked as he is being condemned for his personality and not the fact that he killed an Arab.

In October 2007, in the northeastern parts of the Northern Territory, ten hours drive from Darwin in a small remote town called Borroloola, the home of literal outsiders, a young boy went missing. Kieffen Raggett or ‘K’ had a prosperous future ahead of him before he mysteriously disappeared. Family and friends of his called police as they sensed something was not right. The police came and told them not to worry and that he’d return soon. A day later ‘K’ had still not come back and the police finally showed concerns. They began a search but didn’t bother to take photos of any evidence or any tracks that were still visible. After his body was found they closed the case and labeled the cause of death as an accident although there were several arguments supporting the theory that it was a murder. When “K’s” body was found in a water hole and taken out of the water rocks fell from his shorts and pockets indicating that someone put rocks in to weight his body down. There were also tracks coming out of the water hole and tracks that accompanied “K’s” tracks before his murder. Police failed to capture this information and ignored it. Years later after the case had been closed it was reopened as it became apparent that it was a murder causing a huge disturbance in the