Here’s a new-to-me blog with some sensible commentary on the Central Park case: Just One Minute; take a look. I’m working on a more philosophical piece, but having stayed up Really Late last night (the concert ended close to midnight and was an hour and a half away) and danced a little too hard, I’m taking some Motrin and going to bed. I wonder if the twenty-year olds have to do that…(not really)…
(Link from Instapundit.)
Date: 09/20/2002 00:00:00 AM
I’m back again. I have a new post dated Wed Sept 18. In a couple of sentences, these five were convicted of assaults on four people that night (Wise excepted), as well as charges of robbery and riot. Five others pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery, or assault. One was prepared to testify against the others, but his testimony was not needed.One other victim was beaten badly enough to be hospitalized.Thanks for considering alternative views.Regards,
Date: 09/17/2002 00:00:00 AM
Just found out about all this blogging nonsense. Pay no attention to the name, its just a cheesy rip-off. I also have nothing to say about the serious issues at hand. I’m just here to say…. I still can’t believe my dad can even log onto the internet, let alone have a friggin site……When I have a break, I’ll see if I can’t add useless animations or something. E
Date: 09/16/2002 00:00:00 AM
To boil it all down: the lone rapists confession does not at all amount to proof that the five boys did not also attack this woman. (Or possibly some other woman, who staggered home and didn’t report it…) He could be lying about acting alone; career criminals have more trouble telling the truth than lying. The five could have raped the woman also, independently of him. So his testimony at best creates reasonable doubt.One other thing should have created some doubt from the beginning: five of them and NO DNA except from the one that got away? Rapists often don’t ejaculate, but all five??? You have to balance that against the confessions – but one problem is that juries generally don’t understand how vulnerable some people are to pressure to falsely confess…
Date: 09/16/2002 00:00:00 AM
Thanks very much for the kind words. I am encouraging folks to zip off an e-mail to the editors of the NY Times encouraging them to focus on this story. Their e-mail is here:editorial@nytimes.comI expect that last week, with the 9/11 commemoration, was not a good time for them to go after this.Regards,