Laci's Husband Arrested-Turn on CNN

by Lutece 19 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  NewSense

  As far as I know, at this point, all that is certain is that Laci, pregnant with her son, vanished just before Christmas. And regretably, it appears that her remains have been found in the harbor, along with those of her son. However, as far as I know ( and I may wrong, so excuse me if I am) no definite cause of death has yet been determined. If I am correct in my assumption, then how can one say that she was definitely murdered? Granted, that is most likely the case, but cause of death still has to be determined.

  And even it is proven to be death by homicide, there is one crucial fact that can't be forgotten. In the American legal code, each and every person has the right to a trail by his/her peers. And, A PERSON MUST BE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW. Excuse the caps, but this (dare I say "sacred" tenet) is "enshrined" in the American legal code. This man (who, I admit, does appear to be one grade-A scum bag and S.O.B.) must be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Just because he is a philandering bastard does make him a murderer.

  As humans, it is natural to let one's emotions rule, but the U.S. is (to a great extent) a nation of LAWS - laws which transcend and keep human emotions in check. Such rule by law distinguishes civilization from mob rule and vigilanteeism. With patriotic feelings running at all time high among most Americans, these self-same Americans must not forget this most basic fact of their legal code (one which makes the U.S. the envy of the world) - a person is innocent until proven guilty. This is not the case in many countries. Here, where I live, the burden of proof is on the defendant. He/she is guilty until they can prove their innocence. And, unlike the U.S., which bans so-called "double-jeopardy" (trying someone more than once for the same offense) here where I live, even if a person is declared innocent by the judge (there is no jury system here), the *prosecution* has the right to appeal and ask for another trial.

  So, all you true-blue, flag-wavin', Saddam-hatin' Americans had better count your blessings. And kindly extend to Mr. Peterson the same benefit of the doubt that your very own legal code extends to all defendants. After all, aren't those soldiers over there also fighting *for* a way of life, and not just *against* a dictator.

  I know I'll probably get flamed for my ideas; if so, let the flames begin.

  Cheers
• 

  teenyuck

  NewSense.....feel better?

  You are correct, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. That is good.

  That does not mean the media cannot report and people make their minds up. The key is that what I think is irrelevant. Since I cannot be on the jury (I am not registered to vote in CA), what I think is meaningless. Will I discuss this will friends. Probably. The majority of people's opinion is if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck.

  The prosecutor has to prove it is a duck.

  On a side note. Double jeopardy is for any court; state or federal. However, if I get tried in state court and I am judged innocent, I still can be tried in federal court. Federal court usually will allow the state to prosecute and they only bother trying someone in federal court when the crime has mass media exposure. They can try someone twice--there has to be a federal law broken though.

  Edited to add: WTF does supporting the war have anything to do with this case? Your hatred of all things American is redundant. We know you despise us; Big Deal. Yawn.
• 

  NewSense

  Another, related, idea came to my mind. I once saw a television program that featured several legal cases where men who had been tried, convicted and imprisoned years ago - before the advent of D.N.A. analysis - had subsequently been vindicated by D.N.A. testing and analysis. It was proven that they could not have been the perpetrator of the crime. Almost invariably, these were black men imprisoned for raping white women.

  My point is that, despite the "safeguards" of our legal system, innocent people have suffered because of false accusation and false conviction. And this was because of the human foible which is a tendency to incriminate, mixed with racism (in the case of the men I just mentioned). This should make people all the more vigilant and determined to abide by the precepts of our legal code. It's the duty of cops (among other duties) to make arrests. It's the D.A.'s duty to proscute. It's the defense attorny's duty to defend; and it's the jury's duty to decide. Athough legal system is not perfect - which is an impossibility, anyhow - our legal system is the envy of many people in the world. As Americans, I hope that we can prove ourselves worthy of our system. And remember those innocent people (of all races) who have unjustly convicted and inprisoned. Myself, I would prefer to see a hundred guilty go free than to see one innocent soul put in jail.
• 

  NewSense

  Teen,

  If you are a teen, then I forgive you because of your youth. But you accuse me quite unfairly when you say I have a "hatred of all things American." That is a lie; nothing could be farther from the truth. As I have said, I am an American and I love my country. In my opinion, my love for my country compels me to speak against what I STILL view as an illegal and immoral war. I don't want to rehash this same old idea again and again. Just let me say that I know of at least one veteran of the first Gulf War who spoke out quite vorciferously against this latest atrocity in Iraq in which countless innocent men. women and children were slaughtered. He was a decorated veteran who loved his country enough to fight for it; so I don't want to read your damn unfounded accustations. It's people like you have whose minds have been so poisoned by the bull---- propaganda machine of the U.S.army that you can't think straight. Like morons, you equate criticism of the war with a lack of love for the nation.

  So, cool your jets, O.K. because you don't know me from Adam. For all you know, I could be a vet myself. So knock it off with the accusations of anti-Americanism. The reason why I mentioned the soldiers in Iraq along with the unfolding legal case in California can be found in the sentence which says that presumably those soldiers are not just fighting against something, they are also fighting for a way of life. After all, don't we hope to give the Iraqi people democracy? Well our superior legal system is the hallmark of democracy. And if you "support the troops" that means you should support our legal system and way of life.
• 

  teenyuck

  It's people like you have whose minds have been so poisoned by the bull---- propaganda machine of the U.S.army that you can't think straight. Like morons, you equate criticism of the war with a lack of love for the nation.

  You insult 70% of the people living in America. Every poll, on every station and in every newpaper shows 70% of the people strongly support the war.

  Introducing this topic to this thread is a very snide way to get another dig in.

  I am apart of the legal system....
• 

  RandomTask

  Yes, I do hate Saddam. Thank you.

  And thank you for telling us all what to think and act and behave. I went to the memorial this week, deja vu all over again!
• 

  William Penwell

  The facts will come out eventually after the case is over. There was probably and is a lot more evidence than what we have been told about. This is evidence that is held back from the media that only the killer or killers would know about. Seems that there was a lot of circumstantial evidence, maybe some DNA evidence from Laci's home and automobile. Although they had all this circumstantial evidence, the thing missing was the bodies and as soon as the bodies were identified, they arrested Laci's husband.

  Will
• 

  Francois

  If the concept that a person is "innocent until proven guilty" is "enshrined" in our legal code, I don't know where it is. Do you?

  And if you think that's really the case, get yourself in trouble with the IRS, or in a murder case, and see if you're treated like you're innocent.

  We execute innocent people all the time in this country.

  francois
• 

  simplesally

  This forum is not a legalistic forum. It's not about prosecuting anybody, its about discussing what we hear, feel or might know.

  People want to talk about Laci Peterson. People feel very strange when someone murders a child or a spouse. Yes it happens all the time, but it is not the norm. I certainly don't personally know anybody who has murdered a child or mate. So, even though we personally don't know Laci or Conner, the media has presented her family's grief, her pictures and the story of his affair, we may feel like we know her and can imagine the pain her family is going through.

  Its very very sad that her parents have to face this tragic news and know that they will never hold that warm grandchild in their arms nor their daughter.
• 

  rmayer32

  Looks like they gave him enough rope to hang himself with. Different color hair and 10k in his pocket when they picked him up. Dumb, sick sonofabitch deserves everything he gets.

  -Rick