Most Foolish War since Emperor Augustus in 9 B.C Sent His Legions into Germany
 

So you admit you make posts you don't believe in. That does help in our estimation of your IQ level, but ruins any ability to give any future posts credibilty. This is a big boys board. Go play on the FB.

Ty- we need some posts deleted. Coltrane has been posting just to harass people.

Clemency
 

Well, here's my initial take. The result is fair because:

The issue is not one of prosecutorial misconduct during trial, etc., but rather a situation in which new technology would enable better testing of the evidence (and thus _possibly_ generate some exculpatory evidence).

This was a felony-murder case (murder during an armed robbery). The Defendant acknowledged snatching the cash-box, but always claimed that someone else had stabbed the clerk. No way he skates for that, plus, it was not shown that the initial trial and conviction were unfair. In any event, the participation of someone else wouldn't necessarily clear the Defendant.

The initial DNA testing on the bloody knife was inconclusive -- neither cleared nor implicated the Defendant. The better DNA testing developed in the interim might well have resolved that issue. By the time it was ordered by a Court, a court employee had improperly had the evidence destroyed rather than storing it for the duration of all appeals.

I suspect that this failure by the court system was what motivated Judge Starr to be part of this guy's appellate defense team. I think this is a fair result, all things considered, and I am glad that Warner had the balls to commute this sentence.

S_A_M

Most Foolish War since Emperor Augustus in 9 B.C Sent His Legions into Germany
 

I will not whiff on this.

Who is telling the truth about the war?
 

Didn't say you were, but thanks for the reminder. One less latte we'll have to order for the weekly meetings.

Who is telling the truth about the war?
 

I just meant that I agreed with everything you said, except for the part where you identified yourself as a liberal. It was not meant as an insult.

Big Effin' Mess
 

It's a shame you aren't more premeditated.

Who is telling the truth about the war?
 

Do I have to call myself a liberal to get latte or to come to meetings? I like both meetings and latte (with a couple extra shots, please), but am not a liberal.

Who is telling the truth about the war?
 

I generally find you one of the more reasoned and lucid posters. It's a shame that your admission that you like meetings has called your judgment so seriously into question.

Who is telling the truth about the war?
 

Maybe we could just pay the media to run favorable stories about Iraq. I thought you liked market-based solutions?

Most Foolish War since Emperor Augustus in 9 B.C Sent His Legions into Germany
 

Coltrane is your sock? My world is shattered.

Big Effin' Mess
 

It's a shame you aren't more premedicated.

Most Foolish War since Emperor Augustus in 9 B.C Sent His Legions into Germany
 

thanks. leave it. It's a set up for Taxwonk.

Who is telling the truth about the war?
 

We are lawyers. We do three things. We go to meetings where we eat food, knock around ideas, occassionally ask a younger person to reflect a thought in the documents, and then sign documents and celebrate. We stare at lengthy documents with small type trying to deal with minute tecnical details and ensure every comma is perfect. And we have phone calls which often involve feigning anger and dismay and instilling anxiety in the other side (or having it instilled in us).

Of the three, I choose meetings.

Clemency
 

Not enough information. The key phrase there is "might have cleared him". It depends on how much other evidence there was to convict him. If the other evidence is overwhelming why let him go? In other words prosecutorial screw up or even malfeasance does not equal innocense.

Clemency
 

Agreed. And thats why he's doing a life sentence with no parole.