Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: KansasGirl

The death penalty seems too little, despite the damned statute of limitations.


17 posted on 04/27/2016 8:50:11 PM PDT by onedoug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]


To: onedoug
Calls are being made again to extend the statute of limitations -- and that's a tough one. I don't know what the answer is.

There are reasons for statutes of limitations, and among the most important is that the more time goes by, the more physical evidence disappears, circumstantial evidence is forgotten, witnesses can't be located, people's memories fail or filter out what really happened. Or even worse, victims' minds can confabulate, a word which means the brain "automatically," without you knowing it, starts to plug in false information to fill out the narrative. The confabulation often --- often --- involves mis-identifying the assailant.

That is a recipe for a proliferation of unsupportable, or even false, charges.

On the other hand, it *can* take years for victims to recover enough even to tell their stories.

And Hastert is clearly guilty as hell.

So... I don't know.

22 posted on 05/03/2016 7:32:31 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("He shall defend the needy, He shall save the children of the poor, and crush the oppressor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson