American Justice

[AngusJS]

A man sits on death row for 14 years, but is exonerated weeks before his execution by evidence that prosecutors hid from the defense (he had the wrong blood type, and eye-witness testimony didn't match his description).

He is freed, and rightly sues the New Orleans district attorney's office. His case goes to the Supreme Court - where in a 5-4 ruling, the conservative justices decide against him. He gets nothing, and the prosecutors get off scot free.



http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar...utors-20110330

In the past, the high court has absolved trial prosecutors from any and all liability for the cases they bring to court.

Wow. Just wow.

I propose a new law: any prosecutor or policeman who knowingly withholds or tampers with evidence in a capital case will be charged with attempted murder, which will carry a minimum sentence of 20 years. Any prosecutor or policeman who does so in a capital case in which an innocent man is executed, will be charged with first degree murder, carrying a life sentence.

And again, why do we have the death penalty? If the system is this broken, should we really be playing with innocent people's lives?