Sad

[NeOmega]

I was brought to tears today as I watched a 15 year old shuttled through our justice system and sentenced to life for 1st degreee murder without physical evidence and without intent. The anchors were calling him a killer before I heard the verdict so I already knew how the story was going to end. His "confession" was completely out of synch with the evidence..... he testified he made his 12 year old friend bleed to death.... when there was no blood. It was also given without a lawyer present after a 2.5 hour interrogation.

His lawyer was incompetent, the prosecutor was no better, all he did was parade pictures of the murder scene, the graphic images were enough to convict..
His name was John Anthony Silva. He is 15, and serving life behind bars.

I am in Washington... this occured in Florida.

I can't stop caring. I hate this helplessness. I cant stop being angry about injustice.... but it is breaking me down. I can't stand the apathy.

I quit writing here for a while because it gets my blood boiling worse than watching the nightly news..... but I had to vent.

I guess next I am going to write my legislators.

[SlowwHand]

No death penalty, huh ?

[chequita guevara]

Confessions should be thrown out of the justice system. It's too easy to coerce someone into confessing to something they didn't do.


And yes, Florida has the death penalty. After Texas, we're the worst state in the union.

[AnnC]

John Anthony Silva was tried and sentenced two years ago, wasn't he? Is there a new development in the case?

[Dis]

AnnC sighting!

[SlowwHand]

Worst, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

[AnnC]

Since you're at the computer, Diss, play your Firstime turn!

[NeOmega]

John Anthony Silva was tried and sentenced two years ago, wasn't he? Is there a new development in the case?

That long ago eh? I guess I was better off not knowing these past two years, because I will have a hard time sleeping. I just don't understand how all the classic red flags of an invalid confession were missed..... I don't see how he could have had such an incompetent..... ugghh.

EDIT: I just saw, the trial took 3 measely days..... three... the defense attorney did not even call any witnesses.

[Imran Siddiqui]

What is your solution? Abolish the jury system?

I mean, revultion is one thing, you need to offer solutions.

[Spiffor]

Maybe, just maybe, this kid will have enough support from freedeom organisations to develop a correct defense.

It is way too easy to extract confessions, especially from teenagers. These confessiosn are as trustworthy as teenagers' lies.

[chequita guevara]

I know you believe in the kill them all and let God sort them out theory of criminal justice, but every objective of the Texas DP system says it's seriously flawed. Just once I'd like you DP supporters to admit that just because someone is charged or convicted of a crime doesn't necessarily mean that they did it.

Heck, Texas' public defenders are so bad and given so little money to investigate on behalf of their client it's a wonder why the state even bothers with the pretence of justice and doesn't just allow police to execute people on the spot.

And we're only marginally better here in Florida, probably because we have less people.

[zulu9812]

it is pretty ****ty, isn't it?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Che: are you talking to Slow?

And I'll admit it, just because someone is convicted might mean they didn't do it. There is always a small possibility of error is every judgement. That still doesn't dissuade me from the death penalty.

[NeOmega]

It did occur two years ago.... John Anthony Silva got a 3 day trial ... yes three days.... to prove his innocence... his lawyer didn't even call any witnesses.

Feb 5th - Feb 8th 2001 was all he got to determine the course of his freedom.

What am I going to do... I am contacting Libertarians in Florida, to urge them to wirte their legislators to make a law that juvenile interrogation require a lawyer... with noioption to waive that right by the legal gaurdian... (his mom was asleep during parts of the trial), or even by the suspect if he is a juvenile.

Then I am writing my own legislators here in Washington state.

Then I am going to write Frontline and NPR and ask them to take a look at getting this case some publicity, so perhaps a real lawyer can step up to the task.

It seems the question of whether we should throw 15 year olds away for life superceeded the question of whetther he was guilty or not.....

[SlowwHand]

I've said many times, thank God for DNA.
Executions should have DNA proof, then no appeals.

Back to your "worst".
What you mean to say is, Texas leads, by far, in doing as the voters ask.