It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer. -Sir William Blackstone It is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer, is a Maxim that has been long and generally approved. -Benjamin Franklin It is more important that innocence should be protected, than it is, that guilt be punished; for guilt and crimes are so frequent in this world, that all of them cannot be punished.... when innocence itself, is brought to the bar and condemned, especially to die, the subject will exclaim, it is immaterial to me whether I behave well or ill, for virtue itself is no security. And if such a sentiment as this were to take hold in the mind of the subject that would be the end of all security whatsoever. -John Adams This sentiment makes a lot of sense to me. I think it lies at the very heart of a just legal system. I just listened to Serial yesterday, so Im more responding to that than I am to the question of police conduct and/or accountability, but I think this idea is important to that debate as well (on both sides). I guess my main question for the group is just whether you all agree with the sentiment expressed in these quotes, and if not what you disagree with in them. It strikes me as a simple recognition of the basic uncertainty involved in the judgement of our fellow citizens, which is hopefully something all can see. And who knows, maybe its a piling upon which a bridge might be built.... What do you think? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstone%27s_formulation
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 22:30:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015