Trayvon Martin case: use of Stand Your Ground law or pursuit of a black teen?

[Valmy]

As a prosecutor I see very little benefit to the grand jury / preliminary inquiry.  You have to present all the same evidence you woud at a trial, so it isn't any faster than moving straight through to trial.  Really all it does in Canada is give defence a "free" whack at our witnesses.

Well yeah it is not really set up to benefit the prosecutors.

[Valmy]

I told you all before, get the fuck off my lawn.

When did you get a lawn?

[PDH]

Rocks are a lawn.

[Capetan Mihali]

In Canada we do not have Grand Juries, but we do have the preliminary inquiry before we can file an indictment in superior court.  It's similar to a grand jury in that the prosecution must show that there is some evidence which would convict the accused (a very low threshhold).  It's different in that the accused's lawyer is present and gets to cross-examine witnesses, and there's a judge not a jury, but it is still a pre-hearing of the government's case.

As a prosecutor I see very little benefit to the grand jury / preliminary inquiry.  You have to present all the same evidence you woud at a trial, so it isn't any faster than moving straight through to trial.  Really all it does in Canada is give defence a "free" whack at our witnesses.

For a US prosecutor in a complex racketeering or white collar case, the Grand Juries are immensely useful from what I can tell.  You can subpoena tons of witnesses, ask them questions while they are under oath, not allowed to have a lawyer, and have narrow self-incrimination privileges.  You can demand the production of literally hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.  And you can use GJ testimony at trial to impeach unfavorable witnesses.

[Razgovory]

I guess your beloved queen is not white.

Are you sure you aren't confusing Liz with her Greek husband?

Nope.  Queen Liz has Portuguese, Greek and even Arab blood.

[Razgovory]

Why is it that Raz call racist anyone that does not agree with his liberal agenda?

My agenda anti-racist.  What would you call someone who opposes that agenda?

your agenda is trolling to dispell your ennui

What is your agenda?

[Barrister]

I guess your beloved queen is not white.

Are you sure you aren't confusing Liz with her Greek husband?

Nope.  Queen Liz has Portuguese, Greek and even Arab blood.

[Barrister]

In Canada we do not have Grand Juries, but we do have the preliminary inquiry before we can file an indictment in superior court.  It's similar to a grand jury in that the prosecution must show that there is some evidence which would convict the accused (a very low threshhold).  It's different in that the accused's lawyer is present and gets to cross-examine witnesses, and there's a judge not a jury, but it is still a pre-hearing of the government's case.

As a prosecutor I see very little benefit to the grand jury / preliminary inquiry.  You have to present all the same evidence you woud at a trial, so it isn't any faster than moving straight through to trial.  Really all it does in Canada is give defence a "free" whack at our witnesses.

For a US prosecutor in a complex racketeering or white collar case, the Grand Juries are immensely useful from what I can tell.  You can subpoena tons of witnesses, ask them questions while they are under oath, not allowed to have a lawyer, and have narrow self-incrimination privileges.  You can demand the production of literally hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.  And you can use GJ testimony at trial to impeach unfavorable witnesses.

And I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.

[Razgovory]

I guess your beloved queen is not white.

Are you sure you aren't confusing Liz with her Greek husband?

Nope.  Queen Liz has Portuguese, Greek and even Arab blood.

It's true.  Don't look at me, like that.  It was your countrymen who said that one drop disqualifies you from being white.  Take it up with the Ethnic Albertan.

[Valmy]

If we are going to get that ridiculous I guess nobody is white.

[Razgovory]

Indeed.

[Rasputin]

and if they try him in your typical sanford type community he likely won't be

Do you know something about this case I don't?  The evidence presented hardly makes it look that clear.  What about the 911 calls and the testimony of the people who heard it?  Some people might find it convincing.

I do not get the ability to bypass the Grand Jury at all.  If you do not need the Grand Jury...why would you need a Grand Jury?  Or is that common?  I thought this was rather an important part of our legal system.

The grand jury is a political tool for prosecutors to use in controversial cases in Florida where our head prosecutors are elected officials. This prosecutor likes to charge and I doubt she will chance a grand jury refusing to indict.

[Rasputin]

your agenda is trolling to dispell your ennui

But really are we not all here for our own entertainment?

[Rasputin]

Why is it that Raz call racist anyone that does not agree with his liberal agenda?

My agenda anti-racist.  What would you call someone who opposes that agenda?

your agenda is trolling to dispell your ennui

What is your agenda?

Maximizing my chances for strange pussy. I have a very clear and well established track record on this.

[Barrister]

I guess your beloved queen is not white.

Are you sure you aren't confusing Liz with her Greek husband?

Nope.  Queen Liz has Portuguese, Greek and even Arab blood.

It's true.  Don't look at me, like that.  It was your countrymen who said that one drop disqualifies you from being white.  Take it up with the Ethnic Albertan.

Take it up with Neil, not me.  He says a half dozen ridiculous things before breakfast every single day,so I'm hardly going to defend them.