Posted on 12/13/2004 8:50:56 AM PST by TaxRelief
Gee, to the non-statists among us, a 33% conviction rate would suggest better training of police officers so as not to arrest and inconvenience so many who are arguably innocent. These guys think it means they need to crack down. If they were smarter, I'd call them a$$holes, but as it is, that's an insult to a$$holes everywhere.
Confiscate the car, suspend the license, lock the offender up for 11 months and 29 days, and then hold a trial.
Yeah, who cares if they're innocent or guilty. The unfair laws and rogue juries that give us an unfair advantage just aren't enough. Some of these shmoes still think they're entitled to be judged by their peers.
Why are people being penalized before conviction anyway, aren't they entitled to the presumption of innocence (even if you buy the "driving is a privelige, not a right" crap)? Also, extending the suspension till the case is resolved gives the court the opportunity to ratchet up the pressure by failing to deal with the case in a timely manner. Hardly an incentive we want to put in place.
That's actually not the case here in NC. The poor conviction rate is highly skewed by a handful of counties, with Cumberland being the worst. There are ongoing state and federal investigations into several judges and attorneys. Some attorneys have so thoroughly gamed the system and corrupted the judges, that they will guarantee a client they will be acquitted for the right price.
So obviously it's not the law that's the problem. If the judges are corrupt, get them off the bench and into prison with the ones they did convict. Don't think up more ways to compromise the civil rights of the residents of the state.
I concur that there is a problem with the judges not the system. I know that in Michigan only about 5% of the OWI cases go to trial. I think our conviction rate is much higher, but my personal experience suggests that if a person is borderline, a jury will not convict especially if a person performs well on video.
New laws, such as some of those cited, most likely will not assist. In my jurisdication we obtain blood if the person refuses the breath test. We have a streamlined process that only adds about 1 hour to the arrest time. There is a penalty if the person refuses the breath test that is in addition to any penalty received from conviction.
Funny story: Last week my neighbor got burglarized, and I went down there to help him commiserate. The Deputy Sheriff showed up and was filling out the paperwork, as I stood there with a beer in my hand.
Half hour later, I finished my beer, got in my pickup, and drove home.
Later that night, a little light bulb went off in my head and I told myself, "Geez' I might not oughtta' done that." I really didn't think anything about it at the time.
(For all the blue-noses out there, it was only ONE beer and I only live 1000 yds. away on private property.)
I got caught in one of these one Saturday night, just trying to get my family home in my mini-van, and completely sober. It took an hour for me to get through it, and I went that way only because it is normally a short cut. I could have shot everyone involved with that #$#@% thing by the time it was done. These ought to be banned forever. If you read the Fourth Amendment, they are illegal, but then I'm only a peasant, certainly not a black-robed prince.
Boy. You really have that innocent before proven guilty thing down pat, don't you? Why not just go for summary execution and save the state the cost of dungeon time?
I got caught in one of these one Saturday night, just trying to get my family home in my mini-van, and completely sober.
Ain't you lucky! At least it was a "sobriety checkpoint.
Last time I was stopped in something similar, it was on a state highway, entering a town, with no way to avoid. Traffic was backed up about a mile, around two curves, and inching forward.
As we got around the second curve, we could see several fire trucks parked, with their lights flashing, but no smoke or sign of accident.
The firemen were all stopping traffic, and going from car to car, ASKING FOR DONATIONS to their 'firemen's benevolent fund'!
It caused about a 20 minute delay, and earned them more ill-will than donations.
That was America then.
This is America now.
If we hold a trial, the terrorists have won.
I didn't think of that, of course you're right - let's just throw away the key.
After a DUI conviction, mandatory sentence:
As it is, most animal poachers get more harsh punishment than convicted drunk drivers.
That shouldn't be a "sigh." You would be doing yourself a favor!
"(For all the blue-noses out there, it was only ONE beer and I only live 1000 yds. away on private property.)"
We still have a legacy of Puritanism in this country that avidly love to punish anyone for anything.
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