Posted on 03/24/2011 11:43:18 AM PDT by massmike
A New York City judge declared a mistrial today in the child rape trial of ex-WRKO radio host Reese Hopkins because the jury was deadlocked, according to a spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney.
The jury had been deliberating since Tuesday. Judge Daniel Conviser declared the mistrial and a bail hearing has been set for this afternoon.
Hopkins was charged with two counts of rape one forcibly in the first degree and two counts of sexual abuse in the second degree. Charges of endangering the welfare of a child were dropped before the trial started.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
If he isnt the prosecutors should have dropped it a while ago and if the prosecutors knew he was innocent, the prosecuters should be executed.
Due to Martha Coakley and her methods, I view all of these types of cases with extreme suspicion.
Extreme.
Reese was appearing on CNN on a regular basis just before these charges came down. He was talking smack about Obama. I learned the phrase “Shucking and Jiving” from Reese.
Talk about incentive!
The Muslims would execute the raped not the rapist
Anytime a judge declares a mistrial in a jury case I get suspicious.
Judges are generally appointed by the very politicians that make questionable laws and empowered by the very attorneys who abuses them to usurp the rights of other people and make policy in some ways.
Their very ability to arbitrarily declare a mistrial is quite implicitly and practically an ability to bypass the right and benefits of a trial by jury.
Particularly in the case of Federal Jurys where the Constitution specifically says in article 3 section 2:
“The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed;”
Federal Amazement 6 which basically states the same thing with the added word of impartial.
The Federal 5th Amendment States:
“No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb;”
Even if declaring a mistrial is not an attempt to evade a jury trial it certainly sounds like Double jeopardy to me.
A Manhattan prosecutor says a former WRKO radio host who called himself the “Crossover Negro” sexually abused two 11-year-old girls in 2004 and forcibly raped one of them.
One of the girls was the daughter of radio personality Edward Maurice Hopkins companion and the other was her best friend.
Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ferrari said Tuesday Hopkins had the two girls masturbate him as he lay on his back in his Manhattan apartment and that he later raped the friend.
Hopkins attorney, David J. Cohen, said the charges were false.
Cohen said Hopkins was a good father figure to his companions two children, including the girl he is charged with abusing.
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1321922
Hopkins was arrested in October 2008 just days after WRKO-AM (680) cut him loose amid budget cuts.
The former yakker has claimed that he turned down a deal from prosecutors to be released on time served if he pleaded guilty to a lesser felony charge and registered as a sex offender.
What’s Howie’s take on it? I was taking a nap when the story broke and I just tuned in and he’s not talking about it any more.
All the calls supported Reese.
He was somewhat indifferent to the case.
While he was astonished Reese was in jail since October 2008 awaiting trial he was a bit hohum about it.IMHO
Very few callers on the matter too.
He did say he was crazy not to plead guilty to the misdemeanors and walk months ago but understood the stigma attached to even doing that.
It should be up on WRKO podcast/on demand later tonight or tomorrow
Could the jury have found this guy innocent and yet the judge buries that and declares mistrial instead. Can we find this out or would that judge jail the jury for talking?
I doubt that Jason and Julie would allow that. I even have to e-mail Reese’s old producer on his personal account. There was a gag order on employees. It’s after 5:00. I hope Reese calls tonight.
From the land of Fells Acres Day Care.
Ooops - sorry - NYC
Thanks for the feedback on Howie’s show. I liked Reece when he was on (really miss Andy Moes, though). I was shocked when I heard he was charged with rape. He came across on the radio as a great guy—good dad. But, you never know, really.
I didn’t realize WRKO had a podcast. Is it free? No need to answer....I’ll go check it out.
Thanks to both of you for your replies.
Reese, not Reece. I wish there were an edit button here on FR. I hate making typos. :-)
“Could the jury have found this guy innocent and yet the judge buries that and declares mistrial instead. Can we find this out or would that judge jail the jury for talking?”
I don’t know all I do know is that it is within the realm of demonstrated possibility for our apparently dictatorial court system to do just such a thing. A possibility that does indeed lend itself to hypotheses about such conspiracy.
In any case my problem is not so much with the evil a judge could enact with this arbitrary power as the evil judges in the past HAVE enacted with this arbitrary power.
No way. I have served on a jury twice and it couldn't happen.
Can we find this out or would that judge jail the jury for talking?
After the trial the jurors just walk out to their cars and leave. They can speak freely about the trial.
Your scenario could never happen.
Today’s Herald says the prosec. intends to retry him. Judge expected to issue bail decision Monday
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