The System Faiked In This Case

[Nevadamedic]

Chris Routh, 16, is the kind of kid you’d like to have living next door.

“I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I was a good kid,” he says. “I was an ‘A’ student. I never broke any laws or anything. Never got into any trouble at school. I don’t think I’ve ever lost my temper in my life. I’m a very calm-mannered, very mellow guy.”

Now, this mild-mannered teenager is about to find out if he will spend the rest of his life living in prison.

His mother, Sissy Routh, says: “I think this was a series of tragedies that fell one upon another. And I think that Christopher happens to be the person who was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Chris stands accused of sexually assaulting 23-month-old Emily Woodruff, and then shaking the toddler to death.

It doesn’t get any worse than that.

The fate of Sissy and Charlie Routh’s son rests in the hands of 12 strangers in a jury box. “I try to be as realistic as I can that they may not see it our way,” Sissy says. “But I’ll fight forever to prove that he’s innocent.”

It seemed at the time to be a perfectly safe babysitting agreement between two families. ”I just shudder when any of my friends talk about their children babysitting, because we know what can happen,” Sissy now says. “It can take away your whole life.”

Full story...................
The Babysitter's Story - 48 Hours - CBS News

I was watching 48 Hours Hard Evidence tonight and just saw this. It is kind of old and I don't remember hearing about this when it happened but after watching it without a doubt this kid is guilty and now because of fancy show boat defense attorney a child rapist and murderer is free.

Makes me sick how guilty people can be found innocent and innocent be convicted, the system seems so flawed sometimes.

 

[ChristineE]

The system failed Chris Routh when the police concluded immediately that he was guilty b/c he lawyered up. I worked for the DA's office in sex crimes/child abuse, and I've been known to sit in court thinking about ways that I could off some of the defendants myself. I hate pedophiles and other child abusers. However, there was insufficient evidence in this case that the child was sexually assaulted by the defendant or anyone else-- no skin cells from a perp, for example-- and EVEN IF the child died of shaken baby syndrome -- and there is plenty of reasonable doubt on that issue-- the ME could not say when the shaking occurred. It can take many hours for a child to die from shaken baby syndrome. Why wasn't dad investigated further? The babysitter lawyered up so the cop decided he must be guilty. The system was successful in the end when Chris was found not guilty. Too bad no-one can give him and his family back all that they've lost.