NYPD Detective sentenced to three years for child rape, but should he have been convicted?

SavannahMann

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Nov 16, 2016
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When I first heard of this story, I was going to use it as another example of police getting leniency from the court for their criminal activity. Then I read the story, and I spent some time thinking. No, before you start to celebrate I don't think the cops are put upon or unfairly targeted or whatever.

Let me post the link. NYPD sergeant who raped 13-year-old girl gets 3 years in prison

Several of the charges were found not guilty because of the weak nature of the case. Without physical evidence, it is he said she said. The worst kind of case IMO. Now, when we're dealing with a situation where it is the story of two people and we must decide based upon that, we are unfortunately not blessed by the wisdom of King Solomon. So we do the best we can. One of the things mentioned in the news story is that the victim described a tattoo that the Step Father who is accused of rape had. Only he has no such tattoo.

The evidence was so weak that the Jury acquitted the cop on six charges, but convicted him on three. Six related charges, no we're not going to do that, but we will convict on three. Why would they do that?

The worst imaginable crime in our society is child rape or child molestation. Destroying the innocence of a child and taking advantage of a position of trust, or power over a child is practically unforgivable. It's why we have sex offender registrations in the first place. Yet, it also places pressure upon us to do something. We're afraid that if we don't, another child will be victimized, or worse, we'll be blamed by society for not punishing someone. We feel like we must do something, to error on the side of caution.

No, I do't believe the NYPD Detective who was convicted of Child Rape was guilty. I also don't think he was an angel who never did anything wrong. Here be the big rub. I don't believe in convicting someone of something, just to get them off the street. I believe in convicting them of the crime they actually commit.

I spent some time considering this case, not trying to figure out how to word it to make it appear that the police are sexist perverted scumbags. No, I spent the time trying to figure out how to express my feelings, and beliefs. Benjamin Franklin said that 100 guilty people should go free before one innocent man gets sent to prison. This principle has long guided me, and I will never change that opinion. Yes the criminal on the street who harms another is a tragic situation. However, putting a man in prison for a crime he did not commit for years, or decades, or the rest of his life is far more unforgivable IMO.

I did not see all the evidence, nor hear all the testimony. But I think I would have voted Not Guilty on all of the charges based upon the absence of physical evidence, and the discrepancies on the description. We are human, and we have to do the best we can. I don't trust the Police, but I am not so adamantly anti-police as to convict one for a crime I don't believe he committed.
 

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