[MBates]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

Reacting to this type of news in an irrational and visceral way, to quote you, is both natural and human. And I would suggest the large majority of people familiar with this story would react quite negatively to the accused being released, citing flaws in the legal system. Being calm and measured, enlightened by an understanding of the law perhaps and the purpose it serves to protect citizens from the quick tempered reaction of the masses, is not natural. You say you were not offended, but your post have a tone of "I can't believe people would criticize the legal system for this".

Of course, your post is accurate in pointing out why this individual was released- but there is clearly a general feeling among the public that individuals charged with these crimes are typically found guilty, thus we can lay blame and shame well in advance. Ya, that is irrational, but only human. Rage and anger can't wait.

Of course I can believe people would criticize the legal system for this - and I have no difficulty accepting it is "natural and human" to react in an irrational and visceral way.

Which is fundamentally one of the main purposes for having a legal system based on the rule of law (and in the case of criminal matters the presumption of innocence and burden on the state to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt).

A legal system that protects us from irrational visceral natural human reactions is precisely the point.

And, to quote myself, from the opening sentence of my post:

This is exactly why our system is not “so ####ed”. Because the rule of law protects all of us from this type of visceral and irrational (and incorrect) response to terrible events.

I am not sure who is making my point more effectively, but it seems to me we are making the same point.

In any event, conveniently for my point (though coming from a case in Florida) only a couple of hours ago a nearly executed man was just exonerated:

https://www.innocenceproject.org/cle...re-exonerated/

“Mr. Aguirre was nearly executed for a crime he didn’t commit,” said Joshua Dubin, one of Aguirre’s lead trial attorneys. “While we are overjoyed that his ordeal is finally over, the case of Clemente Aguirre should serve as a chilling cautionary tale about how dangerous it is when there is a rush to judgment in a capital case. Mr. Aguirre pleaded for the blood to be tested and thankfully his post-conviction attorneys got that done. So when the results of those tests revealed that Samantha Williams’ blood was found within inches of the victim’s blood, and that she repeatedly confessed that she committed the crime to multiple witnesses, it boggles the mind that Mr. Aguirre even faced the prospect of being sent back to death row a second time.”