Treating Corporate Crooks with Kid Gloves

I was somewhat amused to find Bob Herbert=s column about the arrest of Richard Wigton, a vice-president of securities firm Kidder, Peabody and Company  (AThe Strongest Weapon,@ March 30, 2000).  Herbert reported that Mr. Wigton was arrested Aflamboyantly@ and Ain full view@ of dozens of his colleagues, and that the police apparently Aroughed him up and frisked him.@  Stanley Arkin, Mr. Wigton=s attorney, complained that they arrested him Alike he=s some kind of hoodlum.@ However, as Mr. Herbert notes, Mr. Wigton was innocent of any crime and that he was caught up in another one of Mayor Giuliani=s Atough on crime@ measures. 

This is a rather amusing story in a way.  Now Mr. Wigton knows what literally millions of poor people, especially racial minorities, suffer every day as they too get Aroughed up,@ Afrisked,@ and arrested in similar Aflamboyant@ fashion.  Too bad these everyday cases never make it in the New York Times.  But why should they, since they are not Wall Street financiers.  And they don=t have the backing of high-priced attorneys, co-workers, family and friends - at least those with Aclout.@  Memo to Mr. Wigton and Mr. Herbert: welcome to the American system of criminal Ajustice@ where there is Aequal justice for all@ - if you can afford it.  Perhaps before he writes his next column, Mr. Herbert can spend a few hours in one of New York=s criminal courts, or go riding with a police officer, visit one of the local jails or lock-ups.  See first hand our system of Aclass justice.@

Written on April 1, 2000 and submitted to the New York Times, but not published.

Update: For more on corporate crime see article below on Enron.  For a good overview of corporate crime  see Friedrichs, D. 1996.  Trusted Criminals: White Collar Crime in Contemporary Society. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.