[Marxism] Innocence, DNA and criminal procedure

["Steven L. Robinson" <srobin21@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joaquin Bustelo wrote:

b) Although in theory allowed, in reality defendants in the U.S. are barred
from speaking in their own defense in their trials, as they are liable for
perjury. This compares to, for example, trials in Cuban courts, where a
defendant is allowed to say anything they want to the court at the
conclusion of the oral hearing in a trial without the threat of any
sanction.
 *************

Often criminal defendants are not allowed to take the witness stand in their
own defense because if they have any kind of a criminal record - even petty
drug offenses - the fear is that it will be used against them to impeach
their credibility.  Odd, "character evidence" is not usually supposed to be
admissible, but for purposes of impeachment (i.e. character assasination) of
witnesses virtually anything goes. SR


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