Thoughts brought about by the PSU scandal
Nov. 8th, 2011 07:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lionkingcmslAt one time we, in this country, had a quaint system of justice: You were charged in an orderly manner of the crime you allegedly committed. You were deemed innocent until proven guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, in a court of law, by a jury of your peers. Your sentence, if found guilty, was a fair and just one. You had avenues of appeal.
This was considered just and fair until fairly recently.
Now that system of justice has been replaced with:
A. You are guilty until proven innocent beyond all possible doubt.
B. Your court will be that of public opinion and mass media.
C. If a court of law and a jury of your peers does find you innocent, but the court of public opinion still finds you are guilty, you are still guilty.
D. Your punishment will be the shame heaped upon you and will follow you to your grave. No absolution is possible.
E. There is no appeal process.
F. You do not have to be charged with a crime for A to E to apply. Just the hint of possible wrong doing, omissions or errors will cause the process to begin.
How and why did this happen?
This was considered just and fair until fairly recently.
Now that system of justice has been replaced with:
A. You are guilty until proven innocent beyond all possible doubt.
B. Your court will be that of public opinion and mass media.
C. If a court of law and a jury of your peers does find you innocent, but the court of public opinion still finds you are guilty, you are still guilty.
D. Your punishment will be the shame heaped upon you and will follow you to your grave. No absolution is possible.
E. There is no appeal process.
F. You do not have to be charged with a crime for A to E to apply. Just the hint of possible wrong doing, omissions or errors will cause the process to begin.
How and why did this happen?
