Let's talk about the US Justice System. I know that there are some variations state to state, but the overall premise that anyone accused of breaking the law is to be considered "innocent until proven guilty" seems to have been forgotten. In this day and age of "real time" news, it seems to be increasingly difficult for the public to wait until an accused person is legally proven guilty by a jury of his or her peers. This inability for our country's news hungry public to wait until the court and legal system to run its course may be driving the media to print, run, and rerun illegitimate hearsay and legally inadmissible evidence on the behalf of whoever is least culpable.
It is a real sad state of affairs, in which the media is allowed to pre-convict, or in some cases erroneously prove innocent, a person who may or may not have conducted an illegal act no matter what that act may have been. The job of conviction is always best left up to the legal system because there is so much in the balance. Let's face it, someone's life and integrity will be decided by a jury of peers, strangers, people who are directed and expected to conduct themselves in a certain manner for the duration of the case.
If any of us has the opportunity to serve on a served on a jury, as I have, it really is a humbling eye opener and should not be assumed with a careless heart. Legally convicting and at times, legally sentencing someone to a punishment that suits the crime is serious business. The system is not perfect and definitely has its faults, however the system is set up to protect the accused, also known as the defendant, not the prosecutor, accuser, ill treated, or the harmed.
Casey Anthony was found INNOCENT in OUR judicial system, by a jury of her PEERS. So much for being found innocent in our society these days... the public venom still flows freely, and the hate for this woman that the media has developed is a shame and a sham. Good lies, bad story, innocent, or guilty... her life has been ruined, and that's that. No matter what is said or done, that poor kid will never come back. It is a plain shame that our legal system allows for the media to slander someone before, during, and after a trial, under the guise of "Freedom of Speech".
Conversely, Amanda Knox, the college student in Italy, was found GUILTY of murder in the ITALIAN judicial system. Its funny how we American’s can take the polar opposite view in this case based on the media’s reporting of contaminated and insufficient DNA evidence. As a matter of fact, the Italian judicial system is very different from the US Judicial System, and so are the police, the lawyers, and the prison system. However one thing that seems to have remained the same is the Medias involvement in swaying the public masses opinions on who is “Innocent” or who is “Guilty” before, during, and after a court case.
In any case, it is news when an event is happening; it is sensationalism when news people speculate and offer an opinion. Be aware that if an opinion is offered by a reporter, the report is sensation, not balance and in no way fair and honest.
When I stop and think about this whole argument/rant, I can only wonder who throws the most bull shit our way, Lawyers or Reporters. Rupert Murdock and his empire need to bask in their own spotlight for a while.
