Judge Vacates Aaron Hernandez Conviction

[SHOWTIME15]

Innocent until proven guilty. The judge made the right call based on the law.

Yes, except one court already found him guilty. That verdict should stand unless another court overturns it. And since the appeals court couldn't hear the case hernandez should still be guilty.

It sounds to me like the massahusettts legislature didn't think things through when enacting this law - "Let's be nice to the criminal since he's already dead."

 

[Froob]

Seems fair to me I suppose, he's technically innocent and I guess that doesn't violate his contract, sucks but that's the risk you make with guys like Hernandez. We have to think big picture and not this specific case.

 

[archstanton543]

It sounds to me like the massahusettts legislature didn't think things through when enacting this law - "Let's be nice to the criminal since he's already dead."

Again, many other states have this law on the books. It's a Federal statute as well.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

Aaron Hernandez killed a Coward.....Himself

 

[archstanton543]

Seems fair to me I suppose, he's technically innocent and I guess that doesn't violate his contract, sucks but that's the risk you make with guys like Hernandez. We have to think big picture and not this specific case.

Guys like what? The Pats didn't have any reason not to think he was a model citizen when they drafted him. Sure, there were some rumors and whatnot but nothing provable.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Again, many other states have this law on the books. It's a Federal statute as well.

Yes, of course. But my comment applies to all states that have passed this type of law. Just because multiple states do it does not mean massachusetts should be absolved from blame.

 

[Kontradiction]

Yes, except one court already found him guilty. That verdict should stand unless another court overturns it. And since the appeals court couldn't hear the case hernandez should still be guilty.

It sounds to me like the massahusettts legislature didn't think things through when enacting this law - "Let's be nice to the criminal since he's already dead."

The judge made his ruling based on the law. Not what is right in the court of public opinion. As far as the $6M payout, I can think of worse parties to pay that out to than a widow and a little girl that just lost her father... no matter how big of a piece of **** he was when he was alive.

 

[Chevy]

It's BS, ok I can see that.

But what's the better option? To go forward with a trial? Seems like a complete waste.

Declare them guilty if they kill themselves? Great way to demonize innocent people who get arrested and commit suicide due to mental illness.

I don't see a better option.

He was found guilty by a jury of his peers - the trial was over. The issue is that he could not exhaust the appeals process. IMHO - too damn bad.

 

[Froob]

Guys like what? The Pats didn't have any reason not to think he was a model citizen when they drafted him. Sure, there were some rumors and whatnot but nothing provable.

Nobody thought he was a serial killer (except Felger and Mazz apparently) but I believe they knew he was a bit of a shady character if I'm not mistaken.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Yes, except one court already found him guilty. That verdict should stand unless another court overturns it. And since the appeals court couldn't hear the case hernandez should still be guilty.

It sounds to me like the massahusettts legislature didn't think things through when enacting this law - "Let's be nice to the criminal since he's already dead."

No, they're thinking "Since the criminal process isn't completed it is improper to consider the decedent guilty as the state hasn't carried its case at all levels where it is being challenged". Which is an eminently reasonable embodiment of "innocent until proven guilty" in my book.

 

[Ring 6]

It's BS, ok I can see that.

But what's the better option? To go forward with a trial? Seems like a complete waste.

Declare them guilty if they kill themselves? Great way to demonize innocent people who get arrested and commit suicide due to mental illness.

I don't see a better option.

But he was found guilty. This ruling isn't based on him not having a trial, it's based on the fact he didn't exhaust his appeals, which probably stood zero chance of being heard.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

No, they're thinking "Since the criminal process isn't completed it is improper to consider the decedent guilty as the state hasn't carried its case at all levels where it is being challenged". Which is an eminently reasonable embodiment of "innocent until proven guilty" in my book.

So now every criminal in jail can kill himself while their case is pending appeal? Sorry i don't buy this. The appeals court would not have looked at the case de novo, so the guilty verdict should stand until overturned.

 

[Ring 6]

No, they're thinking "Since the criminal process isn't completed it is improper to consider the decedent guilty as the state hasn't carried its case at all levels where it is being challenged". Which is an eminently reasonable embodiment of "innocent until proven guilty" in my book.

So everyone who does before exhausting their appeals is therefore innocent and not proven guilty?
Why are they in jail?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The judge made his ruling based on the law. Not what is right in the court of public opinion.

Not disagreeing with you. This is the role of the judge.

 

[Fixit]

Super. Can we finally, finally be done with that ******* around here?

 

[Froob]

No, they're thinking "Since the criminal process isn't completed it is improper to consider the decedent guilty as the state hasn't carried its case at all levels where it is being challenged". Which is an eminently reasonable embodiment of "innocent until proven guilty" in my book.

Sadly we are slowly moving away from innocent until proven guilty. But, that's a topic for the politics forum.

 

[aluminum seats]

There's a thing called a will that you can create before you die that tells everyone where all your money and belongings will go when you die.

Funny. I must admit it didn't occur to me he would have one.

 

[jah]

Yes, except one court already found him guilty. That verdict should stand unless another court overturns it. And since the appeals court couldn't hear the case hernandez should still be guilty.

It sounds to me like the massahusettts legislature didn't think things through when enacting this law - "Let's be nice to the criminal since he's already dead."

I see your agenda here is just to use this federal law as proof that Massachusetts and their "bleeding heart snowflakes" are irrational. But it's still a federal law. You can say it's stupid, and it arguably is stupid, but to turn this into some political statement about Massachusetts is pretty asinine.

 

[Kontradiction]

Sadly we are slowly moving away from innocent until proven guilty. But, that's a topic for the politics forum.

Not in a court of law. That's really all that matters. In the court of the brain dead (aka, the American public), that's definitely true.

 

[Froob]

Not in a court of law. That's really all that matters. In the court of the brain dead (aka, the American public), that's definitely true.

I dunno, stop and frisk, civil asset forfeiture, and allegedly there's some funky stuff going on with people detained without ever getting a trial. No fly list certainly isn't innocent until proven.