General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I think Wilson is a bad cop, quite possibly a racist, but I also think this was an unwinnable case. [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)would run high. It's a tragic situation. A trial would have either exonerated (most likely) Wilson or convicted him. But Wilson and the people of Ferguson would have had clarity and could have started the process of improving the training of their police officers. Wilson was not well trained. He lost it. He was scared, and he lost it. He should have called for back-up instead of backing up his car. But then, hindsight is always clearer.
He should have been brought before a jury. That there was conflicting testimony was all the more reason for a jury trial. Yes. He probably would not have been convicted. But a trial is about more than conviction. Lots more.
Under the circumstances, with conflicting testimony and no adversarial cross-examination, a trial would have been proper.
Winning a trial is not always the point in law. Jury trials serve a higher purpose than just stacking up points for the prosecutors' office. As it is, Wilson is not exonerated in the minds of a large number of people.
This case has been compared to OJ's case. OJ was exonerated. Perhaps the verdict was incorrect but it was final. Wilson deserved the opportunity to get a final, jury exoneration or conviction -- for clarity and certainty.