Posted: 1/3/2013 1:56:16 PM EDT
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Word from the court room is that Ian Thomson is not guilty on all charges after defending his home from 4 men with Molotov cocktails. |
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It is great news and this ruling may set a legal precedent. The sad part is that since the crown could not get a conviction they will bankrupt Ian with legal fees. Sad, but true. The Canadian Justice system works on the philosophy of innocent until proven broke.... |
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It is great news and this ruling may set a legal precedent. The sad part is that since the crown could not get a conviction they will bankrupt Ian with legal fees. If the trial is over..it would be hard for them to do that..unless they appeal it. So you're saying that the government can appeal a not guilty verdict? That's what we in the States call double jeopardy. Nearly all of the Canadians I have met seemed to be intelligent, pleasant people. Why do you allow this sort of thing? |
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Quoted: yes..the crown can appeal a sentence (well trial) as can the convicted..Quoted: Quoted: It is great news and this ruling may set a legal precedent. The sad part is that since the crown could not get a conviction they will bankrupt Ian with legal fees. If the trial is over..it would be hard for them to do that..unless they appeal it. So you're saying that the government can appeal a not guilty verdict? That's what we in the States call double jeopardy. Nearly all of the Canadians I have met seemed to be intelligent, pleasant people. Why do you allow this sort of thing? |
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yes..the crown can appeal a sentence (well trial) as can the convicted..
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It is great news and this ruling may set a legal precedent. The sad part is that since the crown could not get a conviction they will bankrupt Ian with legal fees. If the trial is over..it would be hard for them to do that..unless they appeal it. So you're saying that the government can appeal a not guilty verdict? That's what we in the States call double jeopardy. Nearly all of the Canadians I have met seemed to be intelligent, pleasant people. Why do you allow this sort of thing? Okay. I understand that. But what I don't understand is why 30 million decent, freedom-loving people allow their government to do this. Double jeopardy was a significant issue in the American colonists' dissatisfaction with the crown. Which led, of course to the American revolution. I'm not saying that Canada should revolt, or leave the British Commonwealth. But it would seem to me that the good people of Canada should demand that their government put a stop to this sort of thing. Here in the US, the prosecution gets one chance, and one chance only, to prove its case. If they fail to do so, then the defendant walks free. Does this result in the guilty occasionally going unpunished? Absolutely. But it also insures that the government must have the strongest case possible prior to arrest or indictment. That, in turn, protects the rights of us all. The legal system here in the US is certainly not perfect. There are several features of the British system that I think have a lot of merit. But double jeopardy is certainly not one of them. |