Lisa Ling investigated a case where a young man, age 16, spent 16 years in prison. She takes the viewer through the evidence gathered at the time (she is seen thumbing through the case file and points out specific things as she finds them), the reason why he didn't stand trial and interviews with the witnesses who were there (there were several) at the time the alleged 'crime' took place (no rape involved, no physical evidence that anything had happened at the scene, in fact, LE never went to the scene or even spoke to the homeowner).
It was interesting watching her as she tried to piece together the evidence from a weak story/accusation and goes to show you that one really needs to read the whole case file to determine if the charges seem sound. LL presents the information as neutral as possible. In the end the evidence, or lack thereof, has one scratching their head. :waitasec:.
The percentage of cases that are plea deal versus trial cases are much higher, therefore, the evidence is not widely looked at by all but a few people. Unbelievable. In the case LL looked at, the kid should have had a trial. Witnesses (who were young kids at the time) wrote letters saying they weren't aware of anything that the one girl claimed took place and they were all in the same room, never alone, etc. Later, the 'victim' was afraid to come forward to tell the truth because she thought she'd get in trouble for lying in the first place.!!! 16 years and a RSO label for life is what the 'perp' got. Can you stand it? I can't.
Anyway the profiled story shows that not all people who have RSO labels are anywhere near to being on the same page and some may not even be guilty but have been falsely accused for whatever reason.
If you can, catch the show on OWN.
The show particularly interested me because I'm on WS and Kelli's case involves an RSO. How much do we know about NH's case? He probably did what he was accused of because there must have been evidence of physical violence that the police saw firsthand or the little girl was taken immediately to the hospital, etc. One would hope, huh? Not so in the case LL covered. Very disturbing indeed.
Furthermore, I'm following the Drew P. case and apparently nothing he's done in his past, restraining orders against him, other freak accidents of former wives, future missing wives who stay missing - none of it is permissible evidence in the trial.
Our legal system needs to figure a way to level the playing field because, we KNOW NH is guilty because he's an RSO and was the last one who admits to seeing Kelli alive. But the other wife of DP's who disappeared many years ago has nothing to do with the wife before her drowning in a waterless bathtub.
Here's the link from thread 8 that spurred this post ~
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7854107&postcount=98/thread 8,#98