From: rja@mahogany126.cray.com (Russ Anderson)
Subject: Re: The state of justice
Originator: rja@mahogany126
Lines: 36
Nntp-Posting-Host: mahogany126
Organization: The 1991 World Champion Minnesota Twins!


In article <1993Apr15.143320.8618@desire.wright.edu>, demon@desire.wright.edu (Not a Boomer) writes:
> 	A judge denied GM's new trial motion, even though GM says it has two
> new witnesses that said the occupant of the truck was dead from the impact, not
> from the fire.
> 
> 	Thoughts?
> 
> 	It's kind of scary when you realize that judges are going to start
> denying new trials even when new evidence that contradicts the facts that led
> to the previous ruling appear.

Welcome to the conservative judiciary.

> 	Or has the judge decided that the new witnesses are not to be believed? 
> Shouldn't that be up to a jury?

I think Scalia's point was that you get one chance.  If new information
comes out later, tough.  If the conviced want justice, they have to hope
the governor is feeling charitable.

There's a guy on death row in Texas that was denied a new trial, dispite
evidence of his inocents.

> 	And what about members of the previous jury parading through the talk
> shows proclaiming their obvious bias against GM?  Shouldn't that be enough for
> a judge to through out the old verdict and call for a new trial?
> 
> 	Whatever happened to jurors having to be objective?

It got swept away in the Reagan Revolution...

-- 
Russ Anderson    |  Disclaimer: Any statements are my own and do not reflect
------------------              upon my employer or anyone else.  (c) 1993
EX-Twins' Jack Morris, 10 innings pitched, 0 runs (World Series MVP!)
