PITTSFIELD — A defense lawyer representing a Black man on trial this week for alleged illegal gun possession slammed the prosecutor’s bid to prevent him from mentioning to the jury terms like “racial profiling” and what the prosecutor called other “inflammatory” remarks.
The lawyer for Andre K. Austin of Pittsfield said the prosecutor’s motion represented an “extraordinary” attempt to suppress speech and would, if allowed by a judge, prevent his client from mounting a defense that takes into account the history of systemic racism in the criminal justice system.
“Discussing
