Illegal Means Illegal
And what these "journalism students" were doing was patently illegal:
Northwestern University journalism students probing whether a convicted murderer should be set free used secret recording devices to interview witnesses — possibly violating state law, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.
- The revelation is the latest development in the prosecution’s drawn-out fight to obtain notes and other materials from students at Northwestern’s Medill Innocence Project looking into the case of Anthony McKinney, who has served more than 30 years for the 1978 murder of Donald Lundahl in Harvey. The students believe another man, Tony Drake, is responsible for Lundahl’s slaying, but prosecutors don’t agree.
If the Innocence people want to participate in the system, they are obligated to play by the rules of the system, however much they may disagree with portions of it. The rules are in place for a reason.
Labels: silly people
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
22 Comments:
C'mon SCC! The rules are only for the Police and republicans. Liberals and Democrats do not have to follow them.
And naturally that cunt Anita Alvarez and her political hacks that call themselves Assistant State's Attorney's won't indict them but they sure will go after a fucking police officer.
They should all be disbarred
This is one of those situations where I don't know who to "cheer" for.
There are villains aplenty in both the States Attorney's Office and this Northwestern group.
Both sides should aim for the truth and not try to think as lawyers advocating for a position.
Instead of working against one another, work together. There are rare cases of innocent men, and they are usually men, being wrongly convicted.
Now I'm a lapsed Catholic going on cultural agnostic, but I recall an appropriate quote from Saint Maximmilian Kolbe:
“No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it."
My first reform of the criminal justice system would be to do away with elected prosecutors. That's a nightmare waiting to happen as they troll for votes. Think of our friends down in Will County.
My second reform would be to put an independent ombudsman to investigate various criminal trials and prosecutors themselves. Just like police departments need independent internal(infernal) affairs units, so do prosecutors.
Grand Juries seldom serve a real function and judges are often less arbiters for the truth or justice than they are appointed political hacks who then have to run for election.
There really needs to be an independent brake on prosecutorial discretion at both the state and federal levels.
So endeth the rant.
PS
Cops, and I think one or two might be reading this, should be very wary of prosecutors. I can think of more than a few cases where cops have been unfairly or too harshly treated by prosecutors simply because of the political benefit.
It is time to indict someone.
It has been obvvious for years that the trial lawyers are allowing their clients to commit perjury in order to receive the "Ghetto Lottery" payout and Alvarez and Fitzgerald have done nothing about it.
Breen said the recording device was because the bad guy was dangerous, and it was to protect the student. The more I think about this the less sense it makes.
I would like to point out once again something that struck me when it was first was reported. The Center for Wrongful COnvictions addressed the Anthony Porter thing. (I don't remember if Porter was the original offender "wrongfully" convicted or whether he was the "second" convict) ... but anyway .... the investigator for the Center for Wrongful Convictions got a confession from the killer (the "real" killer). Well, we all know what happens in court after the killer gets a lawyer ... he tries to get the admission thrown out. That's no suprise to any cop, or any civilian for that matter. And that's exactly what happened. So far so good. But the funny part comes in when the Protess guy reacted to the "real Killers" assertion that his statement was coerced. Protess said something like "preposterous," or "outrageous." Well, I guess when the first offender confessed to the police that was unfair, but when the second killer confesses to The Northwestern University Center for Wrongful Convictions investigator at the behest of Protess, all is well. Moral of the story: police coerce, Protess doesn't, and how dare you claim otherwise.
What a joke.
...used secret recording devices to interview witnesses — possibly violating state law, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.
Possibly? Common! Doesn't the law require that BOTH parties know AND consent for a recording to be made?
I find it amazing at how these "educated" people, people who on a daily basis condemn the police at every turn break the law that they so dearly love just they can prove themselves right.
But they are good little, rich liberals with a cause. The racist police and prosecutors probably railroaded this former honor student.
These little snots probably believe that the rules are for everyone else but them because they have pure motives. Don't you know they are trying to level the playing field for the disadvantaged? Cutting a corner here and there, making false statements and illegal recordings are justified! They're righting wrongs!
Worthless little putzes.
ILLEGAL MEANS ILLEGAL
That's right! I'm so sick and tired of people trying to excuse all these invaders like they accidentally fell across the border or something...
what?
oh, sorry, I thought this was about the immigration issue!
Never mind!
Only those that are corrupt fear this approach.
07:22:00 AM
Funny shit!!!
Scare quotes are never good writing, SCC, tho rightys love 'em to death. As sarcasm they are bush league, and I am an expert sarcaster. If the idiot students are enrolled in a journalism program, then they are just journalism students, not "journalism students."
Or in this case, journalamism.
Of course, if they are indeed lawbreaking journalism students, then they need to be punished, and whatever "professor" allowed or condoned or instigated the illegal acts really needs to get slapped down hard.
See? Some of us libruls are also law-abiding and law-respecting.
Anonymous said...
Breen said the recording device was because the bad guy was dangerous, and it was to protect the student. The more I think about this the less sense it makes.
11/18/2010 05:14:00 AM
**************
That's like saying the POD blue light cameras on the poles will stop crime. Nonsense.
Since Breen is in a position of trust and authority over his so called students, perhaps there is a charge that can be placed against him for knowingly putting his students in such danger, as he himself readily admits---Reckless Conduct sounds perfect. Anyone else have ideas?
How many of these "wrongful" convictions would stand if this so called exculpatory evidence was tossed out. and in doing so, how many of these new millionaires made by Flint Taylor and Katherine Zaynor would be shit out of luck in terms of being able to file a civil case for their so called wrongful incarcerations in the first place?
These do-gooders could really have a positive impact working for an organization like ACORN. As long as our cause is to help those who will not help themselves the means justifies the end. These hypocrites sicken me.
That's right! I'm so sick and tired of people trying to excuse all these invaders like they accidentally fell across the border or something...
Stop the greed from corporations who want them here for cheap labor, Fine these greedy corporations and you will see the illegals leave. Big Fine, Look around see the Corporate world who work for the city and look at the new labor force, ILLEGALS If they could replace you they will its already started in the prison system in numerous states. Union haters are not for the working man.
Speaking of recording devices and Medill, these students are showing up at CAPS meetings in 013. One tried to tape the meeting and had to be advised of the law.
So, if one shows up at a CAPS meeting you're at, make sure he or she is told he/she cannot tape the meeting.
720 ILCS 5/14‑2
This is what you will be charged with if you record me. Then your device will be inventoried and held for investigation, I hope you can live without your precious iPhone4 for awhile.
Didn't the recordings take place at a jail in Wisconsin? If so, can Cook County even prosecute the students for doing the recording anyway? While this is a cook county case, should not the county in Wisconsin or the Feds handle the recording prosecution if something illegal was done?
How much anyone want to bet no one goes to prison.
Union haters are not for the working man.
11/18/2010 03:15:00 PM
Always makes me wonder ... why do the unions so heavily support illegals....those that take jobs away from legals. They assume the entitlements will cause loyal democrat voting. Thats why, and that's why organized labor has become a bad joke.
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