First thank you for the thoughtful comment. But I must admit my own ignorance here.
Why do prosecutors pile on? Is it to prove they are the biggest dog in the yard? Is it a misplaced zealotry to cleanse society of evil and wrong? Or is there incentive to pack to resume so they can get promoted?
In any case whose job is it to oversee this and apply the brakes?
Not even a public defender would allow a Black man to be judged by an all-White jury. Instant grounds for appeal. Congress has to put the brakes on prosecutors. State and Federal Congresses are the ones who pass the laws. And they are retried after being convicted. If they are tried for a crime and acquitted by a jury, there is almost no going back. The possible exception would be bribery of jurors or judges.
Go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Jeopardy_Clause#Retrial_after_acquittal
Prosecutors will lie and withhold evidence to get a conviction. Remember when SCOTUS Antonin Scalia made the statement that he had no problem with an innocent man being executed if he was found guilty by a jury of a crime he didn’t commit. Always a good way to get out of jury duty is to bring it to the attention of the judge that the defendant is black and everyone in the jury pool is white. They hate people that bring this subject up. A stupid jury pool is easy to convince that someone, anyone is guilty
The point of the cartoon seems to have been missed… not only do the prosecutors pile on charges, they also make sure that if you are black, a “jury of your peers” includes no black people. This long-standing practice is before the supreme court as of this week.
sgm001 over 8 years ago
@mikefive,
First thank you for the thoughtful comment. But I must admit my own ignorance here.
Why do prosecutors pile on? Is it to prove they are the biggest dog in the yard? Is it a misplaced zealotry to cleanse society of evil and wrong? Or is there incentive to pack to resume so they can get promoted?
In any case whose job is it to oversee this and apply the brakes?
hawgowar over 8 years ago
Not even a public defender would allow a Black man to be judged by an all-White jury. Instant grounds for appeal. Congress has to put the brakes on prosecutors. State and Federal Congresses are the ones who pass the laws. And they are retried after being convicted. If they are tried for a crime and acquitted by a jury, there is almost no going back. The possible exception would be bribery of jurors or judges.
Go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Jeopardy_Clause#Retrial_after_acquittal
randolini Premium Member over 8 years ago
Prosecutors will lie and withhold evidence to get a conviction. Remember when SCOTUS Antonin Scalia made the statement that he had no problem with an innocent man being executed if he was found guilty by a jury of a crime he didn’t commit. Always a good way to get out of jury duty is to bring it to the attention of the judge that the defendant is black and everyone in the jury pool is white. They hate people that bring this subject up. A stupid jury pool is easy to convince that someone, anyone is guilty
sofartotheleftimright over 8 years ago
Any proof of anything you’re stating or just your normal personal rambling?
ARodney over 8 years ago
The point of the cartoon seems to have been missed… not only do the prosecutors pile on charges, they also make sure that if you are black, a “jury of your peers” includes no black people. This long-standing practice is before the supreme court as of this week.
doverdan over 8 years ago
Our Jury system is in bad shape.
38lowell over 8 years ago
We should consider the reverse.
sgm001 over 8 years ago
@mikefive,
Thanks for the explanation.