Last I knew trials were all open to the public. There might not be room in the court-room but they are open to the public. I don't know about minors.
Kinda makes me wonder why the Smart offender is just 'unable' or 'unfit' to stand trial. If Saddam can stand trial, just about anyone can stand trial.
I am not familiar with the facts of the Smart case.
When it comes to clear evidence like a video,this is where the internet comes into play, why should prosecution be up to the individual? The law was broken and clear evidence of it is out there for all to see. It appears to me that when given this choice, some can define who is above prosecution for breaking it. It just doesn't sit well with me.
I don't agree with your proposition. It is not the duty of law enforcement to troll the internet for free speech and call it a crime. (I do however, agree with the Nightline set-up to catch child predators.) It is up to the victim to prosecute a crime. I don't know what you mean by given the choice, some can define who is above prosecution. I don't believe anyone is above prosecution but I do believe there are those who do not want to prosecute. Don't those who choose not to prosecute have a right to decide if they want to appear in court or not?
Law enforcement has enough to keep them busy. Teenage antics for exploitation are the game-of-the-day along with filming police arrests and phoning in speeders and the drunks on the highway. We have a bunch of cell-phone busybodies running around with movie cameras playing cop or trying to catch a cop, yet those same busybodies find fault with everything the police try to do. I am sick of the crash in California on the freeway making the news. The train wreck in Tim-Buck-Too. And joe blow crashing his plane in a field. I am sick of stranded folks on mountains who cost society lots of money for their folly while the family in NY had to pay for the helicopter to find her parents only off the edge of the freeway dead after many days. We are a sick society--plain and simple and seem to thrive off other peoples misfortunes.
The media can be a good thing but the degree that they take the so called news only serves to point out the inequities inherent in life and make famous the bottom feeders. And we wonder why there are so many wierdo's?
Evidence of a crime is what it is regardless of where it came from. Would you agree with that? By your standard anytime a police officer comes upon something when out on patrol they are just trolling for lawbreakers. Is that really how you feel? Do you feel that sex offenses are a stand alone offense that requires it's own set of rules?
Interesting position from a person with the nick 'snoopers', but to be fair maybe I am not catching what the 868th means.
I believe a person has the right not to testify in court. Appearing there to claim their right under the 5th is another story imho. I belive the 5th is the right not answer questions, not the right not to be asked them. If a video is there as proof and a person choses not to answer questions so be it. The government has a duty to prosecute lawbreakers.
Example: I hire an illegal alien, they are clearly breaking the law and should be prosecuted. Their presence is kind of like the video, clear evidence available. What right do I have to say, I refuse to prosecute them? It is not my rule they violated it is one of society. People versus________.
Sorry you don't like videos but I do understand the point you are making. ME, I like them when proper context exists within them. (Rodney King Video is an example of one that doesn't) I hear you about runaway brides and folks stuck on a mountain and what they cost society. Proper assigning of personal responsibility would take care of alot of that business.
I absolutely agree with you that our mainstream media has become a laughable joke. I agree it could be a very good thing if it was employed in the proper way for the proper reasons. To be honest that is exactly how I feel about the United Nations. The sad thing is that people refuse to deal with IS on the IS level and they let emotion play into it and even overtake the is. The media has grown to thrive on emotion instead of the is. Bill CLinton sure didn't help in that department. Hopefully one day we will see that change.