j-mac
Nuthin' but the truth
There has been much made by the progressive liberals in here about how Trump has been indicted for multiple crimes, and that alone should be enough for Conservatives to drop him like a hot potato...The former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals (that state’s highest court) famously remarked in recent years that because prosecutors —agents of the executive branch—control what information a grand jury hears, any grand jury today would, if requested, “indict a ham sandwich.” While this is a useful exaggeration—the Supreme Court has held that federal grand juries need not adhere to trial rules of evidence, or be told of evidence exculpating the defendant—few prosecutors, fortunately, are interested in indicting ham sandwiches! Rather, the greatest advantage grand juries now provide (at least in federal courts, which are not as overburdened as state courts) is allowing the prosecutor to use the grand jury as a pre-trial “focus group,” learning which evidence or witnesses are especially convincing, or unconvincing. Interactive Constitution: Grand Juries and the Fifth Amendment | Constitution Center
It is important to know that in a GJ it is only the State that can give the story, or evidence. No exculpatory evidence is presented to the GJ. Nor, is the defendant, if allowed to speak in a GJ, allowed to have his attorney present.
This is a system that was originally conceived to protect citizens against exactly what we are seeing being used against a candidate for POTUS right now, and with such a one sided system, who would have a chance other than indictment....?
Now, we know that indictments are not convictions, and Trump will have his day in court. But, from the arguments in here, and on the MSM that I hear, you would think he already HAS been convicted. Progressives always think that the charge is all one needs to mercilessly, and viciously attack their opponents. This is a Stalinist tactic. But today's progressives don't give a shit about that, they are communists, and some, the honest ones, will tell you so....
IMHO, we need a protection in the GJ process. I believe that prosecutors should be mandated to also provide GJ's with exculpatory evidence that would give our fellow citizens serving, the more full picture of what's going on here. Further if prosecutors play games with that should be disbarred....