Innocent until proven guilty

The latest murder trial to take the public interest.... as many as were glued to the television to watch every little bit of activity.... over and over and over again..... has ended with a 'not guilty' verdict.

The public outcry is enormous!  So many people.... exactly sure..... fanatically positive..... and angry.

I'd like to put forward another perspective.

Our system worked.  Innocent Until Proven Guilty.  Beyond a Shadow of Doubt.  

While to most, the fact that the defendant did not receive the death penalty.... heck, not even a 'guilty' verdict.... is a terrible injustice, I have a different view.

At first I was stunned like everyone else.  But that is emotion talking...... there was no concrete evidence and I am proud of the jury for doing their job.  Yes, proud.

Guilty or not - and I won't begin to judge - this person - the defendant - will never lead a normal life again.  There can be no peace.... no good ending for her.

Aside from her own internal machinations - which may or may not include guilt, remorse or sorrow - she will never again have privacy or anonymity.

After the years of this trial, where will she go?

Where can she get a job to support herself?

Where will she find friends?

Every time she turns on the television.... or the computer.... or opens a magazine... she will be faced with untold numbers of documentaries and opinion pieces (like this one) in which she will have to re-live tragedy of her daughter's demise and all the evidence that points to her as murderer.

The public - and the media - has judged her already.  The official ruling is superfluous to all but her freedom of movement.

Where can she have a normal existence?

Her name is infamous..... even the least interested is aware of it.   The world is small.  

She is young... so we are talking about a LIFEtime of this punishment.... that, to my way of thinking... is worse, MUCH worse... than the death penalty.

At any rate, in reality - I am proud of our justice system.  Those words..... innocent until proven guilty... and .... beyond a shadow of doubt.....  they are some of the reasons I love my country.