Political Discussions
Are there innocent people in US prisons?
Posted by pugbubbe • 10/28/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: child abuse, children, human rights, jew, justice system, maryland, mothers, prison, tampa fl, us prisons
Because of a project I am about to undertake: a trip cross country in my small motor home--I am interested in finding out how many people think that the American justice system may be somewhat flawed, and that there are actually people in prison who are innocent of the crime of which they were convicted.
Yes...it's something of a loaded question, since the purpose of my trip will be to publicize the plight of Elsa Newman and her children. I believe in the deep places of my spirit that Newman is innocent. And her children live with a man they have accused of molesting and abusing them--their father.
Before you answer, you might want to Google "Innocence Project," which has proved, through DNA, that some 240 people on death row are innocent, although they had spent years in prison. At least one was actually executed.
But I know some people sincerely believe that if a person is in prison, they must be guilty of SOMETHING. I'd like to hear some input from both sides--partly so I may have some idea of what to expect on my travels.
User Comments
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our justice system has a high degree of arbitrarity, both for the innocent and the guilty -
Of course there are innocent people in jail. However sad this is, it is a product of an imperfect system. -
The eternal question, do we want more guilty people on the streets, or more innocent people in jail.
We don't have a perfect system, As much as guilty persons go free, innocents will be convicted.
The strange thing is that most of the innocents are convicted based on statements they've made at one time or another and used against them.-
what sources are you citing?
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A minor in criminal Justice. Just something that is a fact. Most of the cases where people are convicted on circumstantial evidence, the one thing that convinces a jury is recorded statements from the accused.
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To csiumatc--is it OK with you that innocent people are convicted? I'm wondering, because it almost sounds like that is what you are saying. And if so, would it make a difference if the inncent person were you?
Perhaps we can work toward a more nearly perfect system? -
Is it ok? No,
Is it inevitable, yes.
We should work towards as few as possible ending up in this position, but until that can be achieved. Then we have to balance the number of criminals being released because of technicalities etc.
Like i said, I don't like that anyone goes to prison who is innocent, what idiot would like that?
I do however like it just as little when a criminal, especially dangerous ones, go free because of technicalities.
Without a totalitarian society, where you are constantly monitored, can we know for certain who committed every crime. I don't want that either. -
It's a shame all criminals are not like these guys. Using permanent marker pens for your disguise, really.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6431303/Dumb-American-crim...-
FAIL
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Hmmm. Maybe we could work toward a revision of the justice system? Where everybody was looking out for the innocent as well as trying to prove someone is guilty?
In the case of Elsa Newman, the State's Attorney for her county was looking at a run for state office. By the time of the second trial, he would have looked veeerrry bad if she "got off."
I have in hand emails from the woman who actually prosecuted the case, Katherine Winfree. In some of these emails she called Newman names. I believe she was on a hunt--and her goal was to find Newman guilty, whether Newman was guilty or not.
If we could revise things so that all authorities involved were primarily interested in finding the truth, we might be able to spare some innocent people a lot of torment. If we could do this, men like Cameron Todd Willingham in Texas might not be executed, despite evidence of their innocence. -
My law professor in College said it best. "The American judicial system is not about finding the truth. It is about winning or losing. The prosecutor wants as many prosecutions on his belt as possible because that makes him/her look better while the defense attorney wants as many acquittals on his/her belt because that makes them look better to potential clients."
I agree with what my professor said and it has it's pros and cons. One could say that the process will put away more criminals than innocent people but is that really a cost worthy? Is there more that could be done to prevent innocent people from going to jail? Keep in mind that this same system also prevents innocent people from going to jail and also keeps the guilty out of prison. Yes there is more that can possibly be done but there is a line that cannot be crossed where personal freedom could be violated in trying to prevent the conviction of innocent people.
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