Drew Peterson, Hearsay, and Confrontation

[Billybob]

[Drew Peterson, the former Illinois police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger wife vanished in 2007, was convicted Thursday of murdering a previous wife in a case centered on secondhand hearsay statements from both women.

The trial was the first of its kind in Illinois history, with prosecutors building their case largely on hearsay thanks to a new law, dubbed "Drew's Law," tailored to Peterson's case. That hearsay, prosecutors had said, would let his third and fourth wives "speak from their graves" through family and friends to convict Peterson.]

http://www.crimeandconsequences.com/crimblog/2012/09/drew-peterson-hearsay-and-conf.html

I can't help but think of a post the other day in another thread by Dave70968

"Due process exists for a reason. If you abandon it even once, you establish a precedent that eventually will reach yourself."

 

[Dave70968]

I can't claim original credit for the sentiment. Carved in granite at the front door of the OU School of Law, where you have to see it every time you walk in, is this:

To allow the rights of one person to be violated puts at risk the rights and liberties of all.

(If I've misquoted, somebody please correct me; I'm working from memory here.)

 

[DaveG]

My personal feeling is that the guy is guilty as sin, but they way the was prossecuted, without physical evidence is astonishing. Prosecutors could not build a case against him so they use testomony of people that have a personal need to get justice. This will be a worrysome presedent for all.

 

[MLRyan]

Do I think he did it? Hell yes. Do I agree with his trial? Hell NO!

 

[Lurker66]

If i were a woman i wouldnt marry.

 

[Billybob]

For the record It's my opinion that Mr. Peterson is guilty. But we can't throw away due process because of opinions can we?

 

[ronny]

Well, I'm not gonna be the first to disagree. He should fry, but not based on hearsay. That sucked.

 

[Glocktogo]

Garbage in, garbage out. It's not just for trash compactors.

 

[gsarg]

My personal feelings of Peterson aside, this sets a very dangerous precedent. People are already losing their liberty over ammo purchases and facebook posts, now people can be convicted based on heresay.

 

[Lurkerinthewoods]

The only people to blame are the 12 dumbass jurors that voted him guilty on hearsay evidence. Further proof (if the tobacco verdicts weren't enough) that the saying, "I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by six" takes on a whole new risk.