Arathain Kelvar wrote:
For those that answered no, no, no - do any of your answers change if it's a non citizen, non POW? Say he's allegedly into terrorism, drug smuggling, arms smuggling, sex trafficking, or something along those lines.
Yeah, that was one of my follow-up thoughts as well:
Scenario B: Defendant
is a US citizen, arrested by the FBI
on US soil, and is accused of planning and participating in terrorist attacks against American targets. There's no doubt this guy is guilty, and it's extremely likely that he'll do it all again if he's released. Unfortunately, though, all of the key evidence against him was obtained via serious violations of Constitutional protections - searches and arrests without warrants, coerced confessions, etc. - and there's no way we can use any of it in court.
First question: If the DA is able to cover up the violations and thereby obtain a conviction, do you think he should?
Second question: Do you think we should change our legal/Constitutional approach to allow the use of improperly-obtained evidence at trial in this kind of situation?
Third question: Do you think we should change our legal/Constitutional approach to allow the detention of such defendants we "know" are guilty and likely to re-offend, even if we can't prove it in court?
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Scenario C: Defendant
is not a US citizen, was arrested by the FBI
on US soil, and is accused of planning and participating in terrorist attacks against American targets. There's no doubt this guy is guilty, and it's extremely likely that he'll do it all again if he's released. Unfortunately, though, all of the key evidence against him was obtained via serious violations of Constitutional protections - searches and arrests without warrants, coerced confessions, etc. - and there's no way we can use any of it in court.
First question: If the prosecutor is able to cover up the violations and thereby obtain a conviction, do you think he should?
Second question: Do you think we should change our legal/Constitutional approach to allow the use of improperly-obtained evidence at trial in this kind of situation?
Third question: Do you think we should change our legal/Constitutional approach to allow the detention of such defendants we "know" are guilty and likely to re-offend, even if we can't prove it in court?
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Scenario D: Defendant
is a US citizen, captured by US troops or CIA operatives
on foreign soil, and is accused of planning and participating in terrorist attacks against American targets. There's no doubt this guy is guilty, and it's extremely likely that he'll do it all again if he's released. Unfortunately, though, all of the key evidence against him was obtained via serious violations of Constitutional protections - searches and arrests without warrants, coerced confessions, etc. - and there's no way we can use any of it in court.
First question: If the DA is able to cover up the violations and thereby obtain a conviction, do you think he should?
Second question: Do you think we should change our legal/Constitutional approach to allow the use of improperly-obtained evidence at trial in this kind of situation?
Third question: Do you think we should change our legal/Constitutional approach to allow the detention of such defendants we "know" are guilty and likely to re-offend, even if we can't prove it in court?
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Scenario E: Defendant
is not a US citizen, was captured by US troops or CIA operatives
on foreign soil, and is accused of planning and participating in terrorist attacks against American targets. There's no doubt this guy is guilty, and it's extremely likely that he'll do it all again if he's released. Unfortunately, though, all of the key evidence against him was obtained via serious violations of Constitutional standards - searches and arrests without warrants, coerced confessions, etc. - and there's no way we can use any of it in court.
First question: If the prosecutor is able to cover up the violations and thereby obtain a conviction, do you think he should?
Second question: Do you think we should allow the use of improperly-obtained evidence at trial in this kind of situation?
Third question: Do you think we should allow the detention of such defendants we "know" are guilty and likely to re-offend, even if we can't prove it in court?