Eyewitness Testimony ... Texas Style!

A lot of people base their perception of reality about the Criminal Justice System on fictionalized T.V. shows such as Law and Order, or C.S.I. Then, after watching episode after episode of these particular events, they formulate general perceptions as to how the public believes the Justice system actually is. Of course, highly favorable prosecution spokespeople such as Nancy Grace only serve to confirm these misconceptions in the public consciousness. Add to that the media in general, who lightly covers wrongful convictions where a man is released after serving 20 plus years for a crime he didn't commit (rarely do such stories last more than a day). On the flim side, when a guilty person, such as OJ Simpson, or the girl in Florida who killed her kid and beat the case that's in the news around five years straight now (can't think of her name - Casey Anthony); but if your only source of information was the TV to learn and know about the "Justice System", you would understandably leave with the impression that the bad guys are always winning, always getting off scot free.
Reality, however, tells a different story. If that was the true reality, America would not have 1 out of every four prisioners incarcerated in the world, but it does. Obviously, everyone is not walking as the media likes to pretend.

Nor are all cops, prosecutors and judges morally scrupulous individuals dutifully upholding the law. Most of them break it routinely as a matter of practice.
One example: eyewitness testimony. I was reading a statistic the other day, that of the 200 plus wrongful convictions that were proven false, 85% of those were confirmed with eyewitness testimony! 85%!
Now all these witnesses can't possibly just be "wrong". That's a pretty high percentage. Yet, when Juries hear a witness say "That's him!", they usually convict.

This has happened to me, and it pisses me off, it's why I know so much about it, but I have read and read so many legal cases out of the law library, and time after time, innumerable times, it has been found to be the case where a cop, or group of cops suspected somone of committing a crime, but lacked the evidence to proceed further, and witness was unable to identify them. So, what happens? Not the Law and Order scenario, ewhere the crook walks, but over and over, police officers have been shown to have coached witness and convinced them into picking out the guy they suspected, "so the bad guy don't hurt someone else!".
What gets me is this: This has been proven and the witnesses have even admitted it in several cases. It's all documented for the world to see, and read about in any law library in the nation, yet, you will never see it on the news.
Even more disturbing is this: Never is the police officer prosecuted for violating the law. Never prosecuter for coaching a witness to bear false testimony, to put away an innocent man. The man is lucky if he can later on prove this injustice and escape with his life!

Recently, in Texas, this issue was addressed. The solution that had been implemented in other states was to have another detective, who was unfamiliar with the case, and didn't know the guilty - or suspected - partyto administer the photo array viewing. That way, he could not suggest to the witness which one to pick. Texas knew that this is a problem, so note of the District's attorneys, or judges objected statewide. Even the representatives approved, but at the last minute, the Sheriffs' unions arrived in Austin to protest the passage of this bill.
The reason? It would stiffle their investigations! Think about that.
How would that possibly stiffle investigations, unless they deliberately intended to coach witnesses? It wouldn't. It can't.
So, texas continues empowering its officers to coach lying witnesses to convict the suspected.
I know, cause this happened to me. Police originally suspected a man for comitting the murder I sit in prision for. Sure enough, witnessessaid he was their. They were sure. Signed sworn affadavits and all. The he was cleared. Witness also said 2 others were there, that were also cleared. Then, they said the gunman was 6' 5 and 300 lbs, and picked out a man that met that description. Finally, when plice suspicion fell on me, (I'm 5'5" 150 lbs), witnesses claimed they lied about all the rest and that I was the one! Amazing!
But juries believe it all! See the problem? Of course I'm bitter.
People say the Arabs are crazy, or they are just jealous of America's wealth. Those are all lies to make Americans feel comfortable. I knowwhy they are pissed. It's cause in a democracy, the people have the power to stop their government from doing this stuff to people. In a democracy, people can't claim ignorance or innocence for the actions of their government. In a democracy, the power of the government is derived from the people.
So the best people in a democracy can calim is apathy, that they don't give a damn about who their government isscrewing over, that as long as it's not them that thew will say and do nothing to stop it. See the problem?
When American troops rape women and kids in Afghanistan and Iraq, or even in ally countries, such as Japan (a lot, lately) the people of those nationsrightly hold the american public responsible. When Washington arms Israel to attack unarmed civilians and seize palestinian territory, the Palestinians rightly blame America. Why? Cause if america was run on principle, then we could be reached with logic and reason, and basic Justice. We couls be reached without the use of suicide bombers and highjackers.
The information is freely out there for anyone who will listen. But the american public does not care about other people, and they blame us.
But pay attention, cause the same thing is happening here. This government is destroying lives of us as well. There are now 7 million people in prision, jail, probation or parole. 7 million! God knows how many have been rail roaded. Sure, some will say mistakes are made. But coaching witnesses to knowingly and intentionally bear false testimony based merely on police 'suspicion' is no accident. Every corrupt decree from a judge's bench and another american heart grows cold, or turns to hate. There may be less bitterness if the public would show some decendy and hold their leaders accountable, but barring that, we can only conclude, as with the Muslims, and others, that the American people are just too arrogant to give a damn about what happens to us.
When the bombings begin to happen here, it will be too late. The time for justice is now. The time for a peaceful redress of legitimate freivances is rapidly drawing to a close. when that window of opportunity finally slams shut, and people lose confidence in finding justice through corrupt judges and seek it in stead, with car bombs and assasinations... where will the arrogance be then? Will the American public just label everyone else as crazy? Are we crazy for wanting justice and the Constitutional Rights we were led to believe that we do have?
It probably won't matter. Nothing will stop the violence from psiraling out of control. Imagine if Iran, or N. Korea, or any number of groups just start funneling arms into a legitimate group of dissidents fighting for justice. What then?

There will be no peace. America will turn from its corruption, or America will burn... and soon.