>OK, so what's your proposal for making sure that the accused shows up for trial? I suppose at this point we could install electronic anklets so that the cops could pick you up if you didn't show. And what about people accused of horrible violent crimes, including those caught red-handed pumping bullets into their victims? Would you feel happy saying, well, sir, you're presumed innocent, so please show up for your capital trial (or, in a civilized society) your trial for life imprisonment, happily for you due process prohibits pretrial detention, so we'll just have to hope you don't kill anyone else before your trial, and that you dos how up.
In a free country this is determined case by case. A person accused of being a serial killer is usually assessed a more serious risk to society than a person accused of a crime of passion, such as murdering his wife. This is entirely logical, since a person is unlikely to be in a position to kill his wife again, while out on bail. The risk of re-offending is thus considered negligible. Other risks have to be assessed as well though.
>Sheesh, sometimes I think being on the left turns your brains to oatmeal.
This has nothing to do with being on the left. I am defending the principles of liberal democratic capitalist society here.
> I'd like you to meet some of our defendants: the 6'5%" bank robber whose prior involved boddy slamming his 5'2" ex girlfriend on an asphalt parking lot; the Gangster Disciple who beat people up for his pals' crack operations and used minors to (as he hoped) avois criminal liability for hso own activities' the rich businessman who ebaded million in taxes--oh, I forget, he's a rich white tax evader, so there;s no presumption of innocence for people like that . . . .
Obviously the presumption of innocence is not something you feel is valuable, or even desirable?
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas