Innocent Until You Prove I'm Guilty
Our country was founded with the principle "Innocent Until Proven Guilty". Over time, despite obvious evidence, people who have been accused will plead not guilty just because they can.
We all remember the OJ Simpson trial. Despite clear evidence a jury bought into the smoke and mirror show his lawyers put on and set him free.
Can't forget about the Idaho Senator who said both guilty and not.
Recently, in Chicago, an off duty police officer was refused service from a bartender. Instead of leaving he decided to beat the daylights out of the bartender. The thing about this case is the whole ordeal was videotaped on a security camera. The video is disturbingly clear as this bear of a man pummels the pint sized bartender. His lawyers tried to get him a deal where he wouldn't have to plead guilty and avoid prison time. Legal mumbo jumbo for "I'm really guilty and I don't have a leg to stand on, but I don't want to say I'm guilty." Yesterday his deal fell through, but still refuses to plead guilty. Maybe he kept slipping on the wet floor and his fists and feet accidentally kept hitting the bartender.
Also in New York the Governor there was named in a prostitution sting. He has apologized to everyone so I'm assuming he did something he's guilty for. Yet he didn't resign his office immediately. (As I write this it was announced that he would step down.) I wonder if he thought, "maybe this will all blow over." I wonder, when and if the NY Gov is formally charged how he will plead?
Smart money is on not guilty. But that would be gambling, which is illegal here. Not Guilty, yer honor.
Our country was founded with the principle "Innocent Until Proven Guilty". Over time, despite obvious evidence, people who have been accused will plead not guilty just because they can.
We all remember the OJ Simpson trial. Despite clear evidence a jury bought into the smoke and mirror show his lawyers put on and set him free.
Can't forget about the Idaho Senator who said both guilty and not.
Recently, in Chicago, an off duty police officer was refused service from a bartender. Instead of leaving he decided to beat the daylights out of the bartender. The thing about this case is the whole ordeal was videotaped on a security camera. The video is disturbingly clear as this bear of a man pummels the pint sized bartender. His lawyers tried to get him a deal where he wouldn't have to plead guilty and avoid prison time. Legal mumbo jumbo for "I'm really guilty and I don't have a leg to stand on, but I don't want to say I'm guilty." Yesterday his deal fell through, but still refuses to plead guilty. Maybe he kept slipping on the wet floor and his fists and feet accidentally kept hitting the bartender.
Also in New York the Governor there was named in a prostitution sting. He has apologized to everyone so I'm assuming he did something he's guilty for. Yet he didn't resign his office immediately. (As I write this it was announced that he would step down.) I wonder if he thought, "maybe this will all blow over." I wonder, when and if the NY Gov is formally charged how he will plead?
Smart money is on not guilty. But that would be gambling, which is illegal here. Not Guilty, yer honor.
2 comments:
you are absolutely right about the "until proven guilty" approach to legal defense. the NY times had an interesting story yesterday about conservatives abusing power again. they stated that the fbi investigation was always about spitzer and not about the prostitution ring. he made a lot of enemies on wall street and was targeted by the fbi for the personal gain of some very rich people.
I kinda have to give the guy a little credit, he did come straight out with an apology instead of a denial, like so many others. In his short time in office he has made Pataki look good.
No one here in NY will mourn his leaving. he did himself in when he started his plan to start closing hospitals and trauma centers, here where jobs are already in very short supply.
And on one last note, after listening to his holier than thou promises to weed out the corruption in our government, I think everyone in NY sat in front of their TV's smirking, watching the mighty fall.
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