News (Media Awareness Project) - US: LTE: 'Presumed' Innocent |
| Title: | US: LTE: 'Presumed' Innocent |
| Published On: | 2002-07-16 |
| Source: | Wall Street Journal (US) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-22 23:24:59 |
'PRESUMED' INNOCENT
Adam Wiggins's July 8 Letter about testing children for drugs says such
testing is inconsistent with the notion of "innocent until proven guilty."
That view is wrong. Only the innocent are "innocent until proven guilty."
The guilty are never innocent. Perhaps what Mr. Wiggins means is that it is
a procedural doctrine in American and English Common Law that the accused
are "presumed" innocent until proven guilty. That means that the
prosecution must "go forward" to show that the accused is guilty.
Kenneth Stern Professor Emeritus of Philosophy SUNY, Albany Albany, N.Y.
Adam Wiggins's July 8 Letter about testing children for drugs says such
testing is inconsistent with the notion of "innocent until proven guilty."
That view is wrong. Only the innocent are "innocent until proven guilty."
The guilty are never innocent. Perhaps what Mr. Wiggins means is that it is
a procedural doctrine in American and English Common Law that the accused
are "presumed" innocent until proven guilty. That means that the
prosecution must "go forward" to show that the accused is guilty.
Kenneth Stern Professor Emeritus of Philosophy SUNY, Albany Albany, N.Y.
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