As I said in my last post, which was about 10 days ago, I have been watching quite a lot of both the trials: the McMichaels & Bryan case in Georgia, and the Rittenhouse case in Wisconsin. HLN has had non-stop coverage of the Georgia trial, and they have showed lots of coverage from Wisconsin including all of when Rittenhouse himself took the stand.
Lives were taken. Lives are at stake. I get that the attorneys for the accused want to do everything possible that they can to ‘save’ their clients from guilty decisions and years of prison. I also get that both judges must do whatever they can to make sure the trials are legal, follow all steps, and that verdicts will happen, without any calls for mistrials. So far I have been surprised by the number of calls for mistrials. Does this happen all the time? IS this common place in a court?
So, yes – it takes time.
As citizens we want our justice system to get it right. We have heard of people wrongly put in prison for years. We certainly don’t want that – and we don’t want all of this time spent on trials to be wasted. As citizens we are paying for these trials. We pay the salaries of the judges and of the ‘state’ prosecution. We pay for the buildings and for the security. We pay for the prison system too.
The Department of Justice is one of the three equal branches of our democracy, along with legislature and executive. Civics 101. Without a justice system our country would be run by despots, and there would be total chaos all over.
So, as I said earlier, I am interested – and I am glad to get an opportunity to watch these trials and to see the system at work. It does not happen often. The last case I watched closely was when OJ Simpson was charged for murders.
Watching though has also made me question some of what happens in the court room. Why ‘background’ or past criminal arrests, etc. can not be entered in for the jury to hear. A person’s history should have an impact, and should help decide character and motive. I know it’s done for ‘presumption of innocence’ and that all citizens should get an equal day in court. I also don’t understand why juries in any high profile case are not sequestered. It is impossible for the jury members to go home and not talk to anyone, even family members, or turn on TV, or read news… and not see something about the case. Truly impossible. I also fear for jury members coming and going from the courthouse every day. Staying anonymous is impossible.
Lady Justice is supposed to be blind and hold equal scales. Prosecution and the defense get equal time and rules. A group of 12 decide fates. But jury selection has become a fine art. There are specialists on jury make-up. Should not average people with opinions be acceptable? I think most people have SOME belief, one way or another, when it comes to self defense, and gun ownership, and crime punishment.
As I watch both trials, and hear the evidence, and listen to witnesses, I think…
Travis McMichael will be found guilty of murder. Greg McMichael will be guilty of accessory to murder. Roddy Bryan will get a lesser sentence, or will be innocent.
Kyle Rittenhouse will be found not guilty due to self-defense. I believe that justice will not be served in this case. There are facts that Kyle lived a life that had little or no regard for laws. He drove illegally. He purchased a gun illegally (by giving his friend money because he was underage.) He went to a place that was already a volatile area, disregarding the fact there was a curfew. He wore his illegal AK-17 on his body. He was a minor. He was emotionally and psychologically immature, yet spoke in a grandiose style. I have not heard of any mental testing done before the shooting, or after it – he was homeschooled. He watched Proud Boys videos online and his Facebook profile picture was him holding his AK-17. But – I think he will get off.
I worry about the ramifications of both of these trials. Both have racial undertones. Both have white supremacy concerns. Both again bring up the self-defense and ‘defend your property’ issues. Both are about white men with guns.
I pray this all ends well. I hope true justice is served.
Marla’s Musings 