• Neuromancer@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    It breaks down to suspect and arrested.

    Don’t delve into conviction rates. You’ll discover quickly how screwed up our system is. It’s still better than anyone else but it’s bad.

    You’ll see why plea deals should be banned. They abuse the poor since they can’t afford a competent lawyers.

    I personally think plea deals should be banned for that reason. They just allow weak cases to be convicted.

    • ChrisLicht@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I’m not sure that attacking the idea of the plea itself is right. Plea deals are useful in a well-run juridical model.

      Instead, prosecutors should be barred from overcharging as a form of coercion, which is plainly what they often do today. Some combo of state legislators, the state supreme courts, and the ABA should create guardrails for charging decisions.

      Finally, as I understand its history, the broad use of overcharging is a fairly recent development that arose because other parts of our system broke down or were overwhelmed, often because of underfunding and/or political expedience.

      • Neuromancer@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        I was being a bit hyperbolic when I said eliminate it but it should be greatly reduced.

        Think of it this way, I am not saying OJ was guilty but if he had not been rich, he would have gone to prison. A poor person would have taken a plea.

        I have had to use a lawyer a few times in my life and it is crazy expensive. Never for a criminal case but for a civil case.

        Sure prosecutors have immunity, even greater than a police officer, they have no fear over charging. We need to remove that immunity and allow them to be sued.

    • RegularGoose@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      It’s still better than anyone else but it’s bad.

      Not even close. The vast majority of wealthy nations have far better justice systems than the US.

        • RegularGoose@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          Our strength is you have to proved guilty.

          This just simply isn’t true at all. A prosecutor just has to coerce and intimidate you into a plea deal or use unreliable and generally false police testimony to convince a group of average dipshits off the street.