I helped set a guilty man free

[Dubyamn]

Says you. I say that following their conscience is not sending a man to jail if the case hasn't been presented past a reasonable doubt.

Are you talking about General Specific's experience, here? As he presented his feelings in the OP, his conscience was telling him he should've convicted, even though his duty told him not to. This, if I read both him and you correctly, is the exact opposite of what you wrote in what I just quoted there[/QUOTE]

Actually yeah. His conscience is bothering him after the fact because of outside facts showing that he probably did it.

When he talks about the trial he doesn't seem to question the morality of if they should acquit. In fact he seems pretty clear that while they agreed he probably did it they weren't sure. Course that's the way I read it I'd hate to put words in his mouth.

 

[General Specific]

Actually yeah. His conscience is bothering him after the fact because of outside facts showing that he probably did it.

When he talks about the trial he doesn't seem to question the morality of if they should acquit. In fact he seems pretty clear that while they agreed he probably did it they weren't sure. Course that's the way I read it I'd hate to put words in his mouth.

That is accurate.

 

[Kitty Sinatra]

And so would you still come back with a Not Guilty verdict, Gen? (assuming here that'd you be the whole jury this time)

 

[General Specific]

Given the evidence of the state, yes. It'd still be Not Guilty. Now if they had one more piece of evidence (the bullet, the money, the bag, etc.), it probably would have been enough to tip the scales. But as it stands, it'd still be the same verdict.

 

[Kitty Sinatra]

Now that you've said that, are you now content that you are responsible for making your neighborhood less safe?

 

[General Specific]

No. I can't convict him simply because I would feel better doing so, but that doesn't mean I feel good about letting this guy out.

I would feel equally bad if I had convicted him on the purely circumstantial evidence. I would have felt as if I had shirked my duty.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Kitty Sinatra]

Hah! I was expecting you to say yes, but then I just read my post and saw that I forgot to throw a "not" in there, making "no" the expected answer.

 

[Chazwozel]

I think I'm beginning to understand the law student's plight. Everyone seems to think they're a lawyer. Just to turn things over to the other shoe, Dub, you're not going to win this argument. She's a lawyer in training. They're like pit-bulls. They latch on and won't let go.

Speaking of laymen trying to 'school' the professionals, we haven't had a good biochem/genetics/evolution topic as of late where I could really rip into someone. This makes me sad.