Quote:
Originally Posted by Bagor
Agreed about that, sorry, should have made it more clearer.
What I mean is for the main trial months down the line after the individual (if they're in a fit state of mind) has had legal advice/counselling etc .....
If they refuse to take the stand after all the allegations have been made to refute them the judge should be entitled to direct the jury to take it into consideration.
I agree with innocent until proven guilty etc but there also should be some onus on the charged individual to refute the charges. I still don't get what point it serves in a criminal trial.
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Probably for a lot of the same reasons. If i'm on trial for murder, I'm going to be nervous as hell. Probably even more so if I could go to jail for life for something I didn't commit. It would be so extremely easy to make some contradiction or minor statement that they can prove is false due to nervousness or simple innocent mis-recollection. Any prosecutor will be able to tear you apart for something like that.
If my trial is going well, why should I be required to take the stand and screw myself over?