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Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

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Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#191

Post by johnnyhillbilly »

eggestad wrote: post #104

First of all you should take pride in what you have done already. You've gone way beyond what most of your fellow country men will ever do. While I understand, you're doing the wrong thing by focusing on this single individual. Since this guy is someone you have gotten to know, you have an emotional tie that is making you blind to the cold hard truth. This happens to someone everyday. - Parents have a falling out wit…

Are you seriously saying this lawyer is doing the wrong thing? Why don't you go and exercise your judgement what you think is right in your own life instead?

Shame seems to be a lost value.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#192

Post by moptar »

brbsix wrote: post #181
moptar wrote: post #177

I don't understand why there's such unanimous words of support for someone who directly contributed to the half million deaths in the Iraq war. I know it's unrelated to his case, but perhaps his prison sentence and current predicament can be seen as karmic retribution. I know that's not how justice works, but I don't think we'd see such enthusiastic support for a serial killer who had trouble supporting himself after…

The way society is presently arranged, military personnel are absolved of (a great deal of) their moral agency. They have surrendered it to a higher authority, to the state. You can see it experientially in the Milgram experiment. It's incredible more people don't find this troubling, it has me at a loss for words.

It seems to be that way. Weren't the Nuremberg trials supposed to have established the idea the soldiers, or at least officers passing orders along can be guilty even if they're following orders? I suppose those were for more clear cut war crimes and the Iraq soldiers were mostly quite removed from the actual killing they triggered.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#193

Post by moptar »

tempestn wrote: post #185
moptar wrote: post #178

It's also responsible for the destruction of Iraq and the emergence of ISIS. Are you really proud that your personal success rides on the back of so many innocent lives being lost?

Did he say he was? He said the army gave him valuable training and experience, not that he agrees with everything the country's leadership has chosen to do with it.

Not everything and not things his leaders did. Just going to Iraq, which he said he personally did.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#194

Post by wallace_f »

developer2 wrote: post #118

I know this is off topic to the direct question at hand but his case, assuming the talking points found on this page I found[1] are true, is scary. No evidence whatsoever, including fingernail DNA that excluded him? What the actual fuck. >> Mr. Jennings voluntarily submitted to hours of police interviews and interrogations and a polygraph test without objection or legal representation. >> The evidence presented again…

Where are you that it's better, and can you get me there?

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#195

Post by wallace_f »

drjesusphd wrote: post #173
anonbanker wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't speak to police unless you can handle your business.

This is dangerous advice. Chances are you cannot "handle your business" to such an extent that you can out-maneuver professionals with years of training whose sole aim is to put you behind bars. Don't talk to police.

What's the best way to social engineer in this situation. "I'm not talking to you" without agitating them? Just say, "wait until I get my lawyer and we'll talk?" What do you guys think?

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#196

Post by Ntrails »

drjesusphd wrote: post #187
gmac wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not qualified to say whether this is good advice from an individual's perspective, but from the point of view of a society that would like justice to be done this is just extraordinarily screwed up. How are the police going to solve crimes if nobody will talk to them?

They can start by regaining the trust of the public.

By being unable to solve anything at all?

I mean, victims gotta talk to the police right, otherwise there are no crime reports? What about witnesses? When do you stop being a witness and start being a suspect? Is that when you stop talking? Or do you let the theoretical rapist walk free because after all you don't talk to the cops?

It's a completely unsustainable position, and leads to a worse society in pretty much every measurable way.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#197

Post by ZenoArrow »

spacehome wrote: post #190
ZenoArrow wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "I feel like "trying to turn their life around" is code for doing the bare minimum to live in a civilized society. (Get a legal job, pay your taxes, take care of your kids, and don't break the law)" For some people, that's a massive change compared to what they've experienced in the past. Those things may all seem easy to us, but imagine if you had the opposite habits and how difficult it could be to take the unfam…

While you're right that certain things may be quite difficult, just getting to zero or baseline is not enough for me to respect someone when I view their poor circumstance or difficulties as the direct consequence of their poor (and illegal) choices. I get to decide the way I feel about people, and breaking an addiction doesn't meet my bar. Similarly, I don't tell others how they should feel.

> " I get to decide the way I feel about people, and breaking an addiction doesn't meet my bar."

So what does meet your bar? What actions could a former criminal take to earn your respect?

> "Similarly, I don't tell others how they should feel."

Note that I've only asked you questions, I did not tell you how to feel.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#198

Post by silasdavis »

ckrailo wrote: post #137
developer2 wrote: post #118

I know this is off topic to the direct question at hand but his case, assuming the talking points found on this page I found[1] are true, is scary. No evidence whatsoever, including fingernail DNA that excluded him? What the actual fuck. >> Mr. Jennings voluntarily submitted to hours of police interviews and interrogations and a polygraph test without objection or legal representation. >> The evidence presented again…

A while back I made an easy-to-remember Bitly link for a YouTube video of a law school lecture featuring a law professor and his criminal investigator (police-side) friend that totally backs up your point. Enjoy! https://bit.ly/dont_talk_to_police

Thanks I enjoyed watching that. I wonder how applicable it is in the UK. You have a right to remain silent, but I believe your silence may be used against you under certain circumstances.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#199

Post by drjesusphd »

Ntrails wrote: post #196
drjesusphd wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They can start by regaining the trust of the public.

By being unable to solve anything at all? I mean, victims gotta talk to the police right, otherwise there are no crime reports? What about witnesses? When do you stop being a witness and start being a suspect? Is that when you stop talking? Or do you let the theoretical rapist walk free because after all you don't talk to the cops? It's a completely unsustainable position, and leads to a worse society in pretty much…

So I'm supposed to take on the immense risk myself and urge others to do the same? All just for the sake of a nebulous "benefit to society" that the police themselves are not willing to take steps toward? No thank you.

Re: Ask HN: Just got an innocent man out of prison. What now?

#200

Post by smilingtom »

Mz wrote: post #65

If he is in the LA area, he is not far from San Diego. You can get there by bus, inexpensively, by taking local (commuter) buses instead of the Greyhound. I spent over 3 years homeless down there. Here is my blog about resources in San Diego county: http://sandiegohomelesssurvivalguide.blogspot.com/ The North County is cheaper and has more open land for stealthily camping. I also do freelance writing and one of my ne…

It gives me a weird feeling that you're trying to profit and become rich off of homelessness. But, this is HN so... I guess its to be expected.
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