Lady Justice
I have done some deep thinking about why I continue to watch trials and hope for the right verdict, justice.
I think about Lady Justice being blindfolded, so that all men are treated equally under the laws. I know that is no longer true because in spite of the intent Justice is meted out differently to those who have the money to hire high powered attorneys. The rules of the court have changed to favor the perpetrator.
Because of the changes in the laws over the last few decades, the scales of Justice are no longer equal. Defense attorneys are allowed to present bolder sized lies to add to their side of the scale, all the while stealing truths from the state's side. Innuendo, misrepresentation and hired guns are the norm nowadays. Out and out lies are presented as factual to our jury's through these experts or even the defendant themselves.
Lady Justice is no longer equal justice under the law. Jury's are blinded from the truth, angering many of them after the verdict when they find out what is kept from them. Rapists, child molesters, and killers are set free to harm more people.
Lady Justice has been blindfolded, had her mouth duct taped, she has been handcuffed and shackled by the weight that has been added to the defense scales and taken from the state's side.
Right now there are teams of attorney's fighting against solitary confinement as being cruel and unusual punishment. We have lost sight of the victims and are losing more each day. What about the losses of the victim? Their family? Their friends? The community as a whole?
The money spent on high profile, salacious trials could be spent on much more important things. Perhaps by processing the backlog of DNA tests and rape kits that sit for years untouched because the money has to be spent on the defense. The DNA tests and rape kits that could and years later have identified perpetrators that have had far too long to continue to harm others.
Tears stream from beneath Lady Justice's blindfold and we cry with her.
The laws need to change and this time they need to swing back the other way. Trials need to have time limits, based on the crime, and Justice needs to become swift once again.
As we have seen by this trial twice, stealth jurors are able to make it onto the jury. Perhaps all states need to go to the simple majority to prevent mistrials. Florida now requires 9 out of 12 to find guilt. It's interesting that this trial would have ended much longer ago and with a whole lot less expense. Maybe it is time to change some laws.
