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It would help a lot if charges were an all or nothing basis. Either a jury convicts on all counts, or you go free, with all your legal bills paid and compensati
by petertodd 2y ago
It would help a lot if charges were an all or nothing basis. Either a jury convicts on all counts, or you go free, with all your legal bills paid and compensation for the false arrest and imprisonment.
Most criminal cases are open-and-shut deals where someone is clearly guilty of something, so for typical cases this policy wouldn't change much. But it would significantly reduce the power of government to harass innocent people.
- underseacables 2y agoI agree with part of your statement. I think if you were found not guilty, the state should have to pay your legal fees. It's an unfair fight against the full might of the government.
- petertodd 2y agoAnother way to do it would be to require the state to provide funds for legal defense for everyone, regardless of income or assets, with at least with the same budget as they use for the prosecution. Again, this won't change anything in the typical case, because the typical criminal case involves something who is clearly guilty. But it'll keep innocent people out of jail.
- throwaway173738 2y agoOr we could hire anyone who needed it a lawyer for their defense. We could call them public defenders.
- petertodd 2y agoI am suggesting public defenders. I'm suggesting we expand that to everyone who is charged. Because in the current system, legal bills tend to ruin people who get declared innocent and provide enormous incentives to plea to crimes people did not commit.