Comments on: Of Railroading

By: smijer

smijer — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:02:56 +0000

I’m glad you said that. Because one rule of understanding events is understanding people. I think it is a *rare* individual (much less group) that would intentionally frame an innocent person and let them sit on death row just for the hell of it.

I’m guessing that they lied and ‘framed’ him because they ‘knew’ he was guilty and there was pressure to get a conviction. They just needed to help the facts along a little bit. Even today as the truth comes closer & closer to the forefront, they probably won’t let themselves believe that he is innocent. Once you are sufficiently committed to a belief, it takes more than a few facts to change your mind. To sleep at night, they have to honor their commitment to the belief, so they explain away everything that contradicts it.

This state of affairs is so common in human psychology, that it may just be our defining feature.

By: Buck

Buck — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:57:50 +0000

That Scalia stuff is still astounding no matter how many times I see it.

I hope the best for Kevin Keith. 16 years on death row for something you did not do is horrible to think about. I do not doubt that the police officers involved lied and framed him but I cannot help but wonder why they would do that? How do you just go on about your day to day business knowing that you have sent a guy to death row who should not be there?

I don’t understand it.

By: Qohelet

Qohelet — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:16:36 +0000

That is troubling indeed. The police officers who fabricated the "witness" should be held accountable, the prosecutor if s/he knew of the deception should also be held to account. And his (former) defense attorney/s' incompetence should be grounds for disbarment. His case highlights the weaknesses of the current justice system. Unfortunately, even innocence is not enough to overturn a conviction, just ask SC Justice Scalia.