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Mere-Orthodoxy: Confessions

Saturday, October 30, 2004

Confessions

Apparently, they're no longer sufficient to prosecute with. A man turned himself in for a hit-and-run. He was released so prosecutors could compile enough evidence to charge him. And then he turned himself in again. Details here.

posted by Matthew Anderson @ 10/30/2004 05:20:00 PM   2 comments

2 Comments:

At 10/31/2004 09:43:00 PM, Blogger Jim Anderson said...

"Apparently, they're no longer sufficient to prosecute with."

For once, my wife and I are in complete agreement. An extra-judicial confession is not sufficient cause to prosecute. We have three amendments to our constitution that guarantee that a singular confession, barring other evidence, isn't reason enough to hold you indefinitely: the 4th (probable cause), the 5th (due process and the right to not incriminate yourself) and the 6th (your right to a speedy trial, with witnesses against you, legal representation, etc.). Prosecution follows a trial, which follows arraignment, which follows indictment, which follows arrest. People falsely confess crimes all the time, for multitudinous reasons (insanity, inanity, infamy, whatever), so police are wary of inaugurating the process without other tangible evidence (that pesky "probable cause" criterion).

Justice, she's a-blind.

 
At 10/31/2004 09:52:00 PM, Blogger Matthew Anderson said...

Thought provoking.

I might (surprise, surprise) be in agreement with you as well (once I think it through a bit more).

I posted it in a hurry because it was funny at the time.

Also, the next move in "Gnosticism Chess" is mine, and is forthcoming. Good thing it's not speed-chess.

 

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