Rape Conviction Overturned Due To Note

Rape Conviction Overturned Due To Note

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- A judge has thrown out a man's rape conviction because the jury that convicted him found something it wasn't supposed to see -- a purported confession stuck in the pocket of a pair of pants being examined in the jury room.

One juror revealed the discovery after the March conviction of Stanley Bradley.

Since the document had not been entered into evidence during trial, its discovery during deliberations tainted the jury, Circuit Judge Diane Goodstein wrote in her June 22 ruling, defense attorney Martin Banks said Tuesday.

Banks had filed a motion for a new trial in April after learning of the jury's discovery.

"You can't send a guy to prison on a tainted jury's decision," Banks said.

http://www.local6.com/news/4666159/detail.html

under the rules of evidence, the jury was tainted and the conviction had to be overturned. The judge had no choiuce in the matter. The decision was clear. New trial.

I'm shocked, shocked!
:sarcasm:

Vigilantism is OK, right? Specially when it's firing a person with gasoline in a crowded bar, right?

:eyes:

:eyes:

hahahahahahahahahahahahahah

Is that a mistrial? Or can he not be tried again?

evidence and all things contained in the pants SHOULD have been removed and labeled)

I'd really like to know who did that..also, the jury should have reported it upon "discovering" it.

my intense curiosity aside....the judge made the correct call.

what some people call technicalities, I call rights.

How can he get a fair trial if there's somebody working for the prosecution planting evidence.

overturned?...or to even cause a mistrial (had the jury been honest enough to let someone know they found the letter when they first discovered it)

However it got there....it is a question I'd like to know the answer to

But then again, how's a man supposed to get a fair trial if his defense is ridiculously incompetent? I sure hope it's fully investigated.

When due process is not given the highest respect, we ALL suffer....

(Can't leave anything to chance, ya know)