[Belowski]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-...e1-848854.aspx

Once again an undeniable reminder of the obvious flaws in America's judiciary system, of course. How is this even possible?!

[+ polarity -]

This is a reminder to the entire system that it's not perfect.

no ****

[geetar]

Yes, this is a problem only America has. No one has ever been falsely convicted in the UK or any in any other comparable jurisdiction. And there are no problems with the legal and criminal justice system in the rest of the world. Indeed, I hear the Somali branch of Amnesty International are organising a benefit to raise awareness of the cruelty of American law, which they feel very strongly about, having a perfect legal system themselves.

Spoiler:

Show

I do feel very sorry for the man, that is terrible.

[Aj12]

(Original post by Belowski)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-...e1-848854.aspx

Once again an undeniable reminder of the obvious flaws in America's judiciary system, of course. How is this even possible?!

Flynn said prosecutors had not committed misconduct, Dewey had been represented by good defense attorneys, and an impartial jury had heard the case but added: "Despite all these things, the system didn't work."


What are these obvious flaws?

[Blind Ferret]

Is there any compensation for him? or anything like that, just to help the poor guy. Surely it's not just a pat on the back and an "off you go, sorry about the last 16 years... mates?"

[Belowski]

(Original post by Aj12)
Flynn said prosecutors had not committed misconduct, Dewey had been represented by good defense attorneys, and an impartial jury had heard the case but added: "Despite all these things, the system didn't work."


What are these obvious flaws?

Try reading further down.

Dewey's exoneration came on the same day that two men who spent nearly 30 years in prison for a brutal sexual assault and attempted murder were declared innocent in Texas after DNA evidence pointed to other men.

Post-conviction DNA testing has exonerated close to 290 people in the United States since 1989, according to the Innocence Project, which works to reverse wrongful convictions.

In the Texas case, James Curtis Williams, 54, and Raymond Jackson, 67, had been sentenced to 99 years in prison for the November 1983 assault of a Canadian woman who identified them in a lineup as her attackers.

The woman had been abducted from a parking lot at gunpoint, repeatedly assaulted and then shot when she tried to flee and left for dead in a field.

Two other men who were connected to the crime through DNA testing have been charged with attempted capital murder, said Russell Wilson, supervisor of the Dallas County District Attorney's conviction integrity unit.

[xxm]

(Original post by Blind Ferret)
Is there any compensation for him? or anything like that, just to help the poor guy. Surely it's not just a pat on the back and an "off you go, sorry about the last 16 years... mates?"

If I was him there'd be nothing that could make me forgive for the 16 years of my life that I lost. Wrongly.

[Aj12]

(Original post by Belowski)
Try reading further down.

Yes none of that explains these obvious flaws you are referring to. I don't see how a women identifying her attackers wrongly is an obvious flaw of the system?

[Belowski]

(Original post by Aj12)
Yes none of that explains these obvious flaws you are referring to. I don't see how a women identifying her attackers wrongly is an obvious flaw of the system?

Mesa County District Judge Brian Flynn said during the brief hearing. "This is a reminder to the entire system that it's not perfect."

I think it kinda says something when a judge is even admitting that the system isn't perfect, wouldn't you agree? Or did you miss that, as well?

[SnoochToTheBooch]

I hope he's compensated by the millions

[Aj12]

(Original post by Belowski)
I think it kinda says something when a judge is even admitting that the system isn't perfect, wouldn't you agree? Or did you miss that, as well?

Yeah but again I'd like to know how you get from the system is not perfect to all these obvious flaws that exist.

[AdvanceAndVanquish]

(Original post by geetar)
Yes, this is a problem only America has. No one has ever been falsely convicted in the UK or any in any other comparable jurisdiction. And there are no problems with the legal and criminal justice system in the rest of the world. Indeed, I hear the Somali branch of Amnesty International are organising a benefit to raise awareness of the cruelty of American law, which they feel very strongly about, having a perfect legal system themselves.

Spoiler:

Show

I do feel very sorry for the man, that is terrible.

Quite. It is precisely the constant attempts to minimise the imperfections and rectify the mistakes that exposes them for people to make stupid comments about.

[fuzznbass]

I guess you guys haven't heard about two men who are still in solitary confinement after 40 years in Louisianna...

[Shabalala]

He should get $3 Million for every year he was locked up unfortunetley the wrong people are sometimes punished it's going to happen regardless all you can do is compensate and help them as much as possible.

[Drewski]

(Original post by Belowski)
I think it kinda says something when a judge is even admitting that the system isn't perfect, wouldn't you agree? Or did you miss that, as well?

That's not the same thing.

Saying "the system isn't perfect" =/= obvious flaws. If they're so obvious, point them out to us. Something between the line up, defence attorneys, jury and judge's decision went wrong, the system didn't work, but what about the system didn't work? You're not answering that, just pointing fingers.

[Ham22]

(Original post by geetar)
Yes, this is a problem only America has. No one has ever been falsely convicted in the UK or any in any other comparable jurisdiction. And there are no problems with the legal and criminal justice system in the rest of the world. Indeed, I hear the Somali branch of Amnesty International are organising a benefit to raise awareness of the cruelty of American law, which they feel very strongly about, having a perfect legal system themselves.

Spoiler:

Show

I do feel very sorry for the man, that is terrible.

And welcome the This Happens Elsewhere Y'know Crew. Right on time. Please, take a seat.

[geetar]

(Original post by Ham22)
And welcome the This Happens Elsewhere Y'know Crew. Right on time. Please, take a seat.

That's a witty response, well done you. What exactly about my post don't you agree with? I have made it clear that I feel that what has happened to this man is terrible. I'm not saying that we should just put up with the flaws in our legal systems because there are worse ones out there. I'm going into law, and it's very obvious to me that there are flaws when it comes to things like witness identification, DNA evidence, etc.

But that isn't what the OP is doing. He wants to jump on an anti-American bandwagon - selectively using evidence to justify a conclusion that is nothing more than his own half-baked pseudo-political opinion. There are not 'massive flaws' in the American judicial system. There are flaws, but why restrict that to America? Those are issues affecting any legal system, and the OP's restriction of this to the United States is indicative of a highly partisan attitude.

If the OP had wanted to open up a debate on the efficacy of the law, that would have been interesting. If he had wanted to talk about the use of witnesses in court, that would have been interesting. If he wanted to use this case to talk about the strengths and failings of the whole nature of trial by jury, that would have been very interesting. But he didn't, he just wants to be involved with that oh so trendy anti-American motif.

From your post it seems that you think I'm saying that we shouldn't attempt to improve our legal systems, or that we shouldn't feel a great deal of sympathy for this man. That's completely wrong, I think both of those things. But this whole thread is not, and never was, intended as a discussion about law and justice. It's just biased rhetoric, with no regard to the facts or indeed even the true issues at hand. And that's why I said what I said.

[lulubel]

The Real problem with American justice, and western justice in general, is its permissive approach to criminals.

No system is perfect. Unfortunately, miscarriages of justice happen. But the real miscarriages of justice are reoffending rates. Violent criminals who have already been convicted are routinely released back out into society in the full knowledge that they are going to reoffend.


Reoffending rates in America are massive. Violent people are let out of jail so they can commit more Violence. That's the real injustice. Innocent people suffer because of weak and pro criminal individuals who treat criminals like victims and victims like offenders.

[Rarrgh]

Wouldn't be surprised if he went and killed the people who wasted the 16 years of his life... What would he have to come back to, plus he already understands what prison is like so wouldn't be the worst. He'd return to his friends who he'd have known for 16 years... and he'd get some retribution.

[SilverSurfer22]

(Original post by Shabalala)
He should get $3 Million for every year he was locked up unfortunetley the wrong people are sometimes punished it's going to happen regardless all you can do is compensate and help them as much as possible.

I partly agree, but it should not be $3million a year, it should be $1million per year, it is a complete travesty that he has spent so long in jail