Welcome to Texas where we execute the innocent! Sadly, that's the truth. That we convict the innocent is disturbing. It should be to all. People think it can't happen to them. They think that until it DOES happen to them. THAT is an attrocity all of its own. Even worse for society is that convicting the innocent means the criminal is still out there, probably still committing crimes.
For the innocent accused, it begins with a swirl of disillusionment. Family and friends tend to decide their support or not on emotions rather than objective facts. The accused often find themselves alone, fighting the biggest battle of their lives. No wonder the accused often become hostile and defensive, some down right crazy. You really want to be a caring, supportive human being? Be objective, be supportive, let the process proceed and be cynical. The truth generally becomes reasonably apparent. Yet give it time to "set" because one needs to hear from all the sides, gather information, before reaching opinions that are firm. Often the evidence of guilt isn't "beyond a reasonable doubt" and that can be frustrating but that's the way it's supposed to be. We aren't supposed to convict and punish unless we, as a society, can meet that burden. No worries though because career criminals and those with truly evil souls can't help themselves so we need only watch and wait and we'll see them back in court shortly.
And on that same line, one should be very cynical, very suspicious of accusations against those who have lived years and years in the same locale without raising suspicions and where evidence doesn't surface of a long history of multiple crimes. There are the rare cases of crimes by people who are older but they are rare. Be equally cynical when one has been repeatedly accused of minor crimes which could easily be a factor of "neighborhood" and societal bias but is then accused of something much more significant. We are creature of habit and habits don't generally change suddenly and for no reason.
The crime shows on TV are beyond absurd. It just doesn't work that way. However, I do like the recurring theme of "follow the evidence" and be objective. If our LEOs and prosecutors would do that and do it within the bounds of the laws, we could trust them and support them wholeheartedly. I miss the days past when we could presume that soldiers and LEOs were decent humans, the best of our communities. I want them to come back to those basic values.
"prosecutors learned that police failed to disclose evidence implicating another suspect" LEO, why would you do that? Do you not understand that you're hurting us all by actions like that? Oh, yes, I know you "believe" that he was guilty. Can you please grasp that you too are imperfect humans, that you might make mistakes, perhaps just be wrong?
Some kudos to the Dallas DA's office but jeez guys, come on. You need to evaluate cases from all sides. You need to pry information out of the police. You represent US, not the police.
"Police in major U.S. cities stop and question more than a million people each year — a sharply higher number than just a few years ago... Many are frisked, and nearly all are innocent of any crime" I seriously doubt it's limited to "major" cities since such practices spread to smaller PDs rapidly. "The practice is perfectly legal. A 1968 Supreme Court decision established the benchmark of 'reasonable suspicion' " Id. Perfectly legal? Don't think so. The benchmark requires the suspicion to be REASONABLE and that's from an OBJECTIVE perspective. All the more reason our LEOs need to be out there in our communities not exclusively within their own LEO supportive groups. Without that, a LEO cannot possibly even know what society considers a reasonable suspicion from an objective perspective.
Prosecutors: Your represent US, not the police. When you absolutely refuse to evaluate LEO conduct YOU'RE seeing and chastise and prosecute, you are HARMING your clients and breaching your duty to US, your clients. Be fair, reasonable and objective and justice will follow; otherwise, injustice is bound to result. Take your Texas oath out and read it once a month: "do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States, and of this state; that I will honestly demean myself in the practice of law, and will discharge my duties to my clients to the best of my abilities". It's short and sweet. You should know it by heart, it should be in your heart. And, if you can't live up to your oath and set a good example, you teach others the very wrong thing.