Posted on 03/24/2005 5:04:36 AM PST by Hawk44
LOS ANGELES Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said jurors who acquitted actor Robert Blake of the murder of his wife are "incredibly stupid" and insisted his office had put on a good case.
In his first comments on the high-profile loss, Cooley said the verdict shows prosecuting celebrities is extremely difficult in Los Angeles.
"The Blake case taught us some lessons, that is for sure," Cooley said. "Quite frankly, based on my review of the evidence, he is as guilty as sin. He is a miserable human being."
Chuck Safko, one of the jurors who voted to acquit Blake, answered with scorn of his own.
"To hear him say we aren't a smart jury is sour grapes," Safko said. "They didn't have a good case. Their case was built around witnesses who weren't truthful."
Blake, 71, was accused of murdering his wife on May 4, 2001, mainly based on the word of two Hollywood stuntmen who testified the actor tried to hire them to kill her. Only two jurors ever thought Blake might be guilty, according to interviews after the verdict, and all 12 came to the unanimous verdict of not guilty after two weeks of deliberations.
The comment shows Cooley is "small-minded," said Blake's attorney, Gerald Schwartzbach. It was worthy of a politician, not a lawyer, Schwartzbach said.
Cooley's comments were unusual, but not unethical, according to legal experts.
"To criticize the jurors is unprofessional it is unbelievable," said Laurie Levinson, a professor of criminal law at Loyola Law School. "I think you have to give the jury credit. They are very conscientious jury. It was a reasonable-doubt case, and disagreeing with Mr. Cooley doesn't make them stupid."
Yeah, John Kerry loses the election so the Left calls a very clear majority of Americans stupid, too. The DA probably voted for Kerry...
Sorry pal, you didn't prove your case beyond the shadow of a doubt.
That is not the standard. Reasonable doubt is the standard, and that's not the same thing.
Most politicians are lawyers.
It much more likely you have a stupid prosecutor.
I know I am going to get flamed hard for this..but I have lost confidence in our jury system..I know I don't have a better answer for it..our judges are totally out of control..but our jury system is sadly unique in our country..no where, not NASA, not our military, no Fortune 500 company, I mean no where do we find the dumbest of the dumb to sit in judgment or make decisions about those groups..yet we routinely ask these same people to sit in judgment of violent and dangerous criminals..I know blake is not going to go on a murder spree..but we need a better system..
Jury nullification?
It's possible that the jury (a single jurist?) thought Blake was justified in some sense.
Jury nullification?
It's possible that the jury (a single jurist?) thought Blake was justified in some sense.
In OJ's case the math was 2+1.999999999 and still they couldn't get to 4. Jury people appear to sleep better without the burden of a conviction.
No flame here. But to restore your confidence, I suggest you go to your local county courthose and observe a few jury trials. My bet is you would agree with the jury verdict in nearly every case.
You may have me there.
That's right, the DA failed to prove his case.
Blake wasn't your normal stoooopid criminal. He had several years to study the perfect crime. Wearing gloves was a no brainer. Throwing the gun in the nearest dumpster got rid of the eveidence pronto. He had an alibi for all but about 11 minutes, I believe. To convict, you would have to say he was the only one that could have done it in the 11 minutes. Otherwise, there was no evidence to convict. Even OJ did pretty good, but he left DNA at the scene. Of course, everyone has DNA. LOL.
Let's see if Phil Spector is so lucky.
I agree that the prosecution hosed it with O.J., but I think the jury got too caught up in Cochran's antics and acquitted him even though the evidence was there - the prosecution just made it easy for them with it's own lapses in competence and judgement.
CA celebrities granted the right to kill.
That may be exactly what the prosecutor wants him to do. In a defamation lawsuit, Blake would have the burden of proof and wouldn't have the privilege not to testify.
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