Prove you are innocent??????

[Bozman]

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty???




http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_645472.html


"There are some kids who truly were just trying to get to another dorm and walked right into the middle of this and found themselves arrested," Pitt police Chief Tim Delaney said. "If they can prove they're innocent, I'll help them out, and the charges will be dismissed."

[Strapped]

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty???"

The same thing that happen to freedom of speech, right to assemble, illegal searches, etc... And pretty soon the right to bear arms..

[theo]

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty???

People voted for change and here it is.

[Kimba]

Remember this little tidbit?

It ain't America no more, O.K.?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIKPKjl0-pg&NR=1

[LittleRedToyota]

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty???




http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_645472.html


"There are some kids who truly were just trying to get to another dorm and walked right into the middle of this and found themselves arrested," Pitt police Chief Tim Delaney said. "If they can prove they're innocent, I'll help them out, and the charges will be dismissed."

what happened is that, at some point, our country decided to move away from the idea that it is better to let 100 guilty people go free than punish 1 innocent person...and toward the idea that it is better to punish 100 innocent people to make sure to get revenge upon 1 guilty person.

we have also moved away from the idea that liberty is more important than security toward the idea that security trumps everything.

and now, here we are...at a place where you can be arrested just for walking down the street.

[YllwFvr]

and now, here we are...at a place where you can be arrested just for walking down the street.

I don't like that place. America has changed. I don't see much good in the ways it's grown either. I bet I don't know the half of it either.

[jcabin]

these "group arrests" are pretty common with the youth.

parties, or big events, etc. The police will just run in and charge everyone in sight.

I can't tell you how many times people I know were at the wrong place at the wrong time and got charged with bullshit. Sometimes its fought and dropped other times, most times, people don't know they can fight it or think they have no chance and don't bother.

For example, I can't begin to imagine how many poor 21 year olds were charged with supplying minors or some other bullshit charge because they were at a party with 20 year olds. Even if they werent drinking, or even if they didnt supply any alcohol. Had only been there for 5 minutes before the police showed up.

or the best one.

Some poor shmuck who's at a party making out in the back room with some girl, gets nailed for marijuana charges, even though he has never smoked a single joint in his life, because people on the other end of the house were smoking.

Most of the time these charges stick as some of our fellow LEO members have stated. It's complete bullshit.

[mjf]

Because by being in that location they were committing a crime. Not that I like how the law is structured, but being in the immediate vicinity after a crowd dispersal order is given is presumption you were part of the unlawful mob.

This puts the burden on the charged person to plead a defense.

§ 5502. Failure of disorderly persons to disperse upon official
order.
Where three or more persons are participating in a course of
disorderly conduct which causes or may reasonably be expected to
cause substantial harm or serious inconvenience, annoyance or
alarm, a peace officer or other public servant engaged in
executing or enforcing the law may order the participants and
others in the immediate vicinity to disperse. A person who
refuses or knowingly fails to obey such an order commits a
misdemeanor of the second degree

[bige64]

Because by being in that location they were committing a crime. Not that I like how the law is structured, but being in the immediate vicinity after a crowd dispersal order is given is presumption you were part of the unlawful mob.

This puts the burden on the charged person to plead a defense.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What ever happened to the first amendment...???

[Adam-12]

Because by being in that location they were committing a crime. Not that I like how the law is structured, but being in the immediate vicinity after a crowd dispersal order is given is presumption you were part of the unlawful mob.

This puts the burden on the charged person to plead a defense.

I'm not sure you read that statute right. It says the cops can order everyone in the vicinity to disperse, but it distinctly doesn't say that being in the vicinity afterward is presumptive evidence of a crime, and it doesn't create an affirmative justification. The burden is still on the prosecution to prove that you refused or willfully failed to obey.