Judge declares mistrial in case of Texas man accused of killing at least 18 women
A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a Texas man who is accused of killing at least 18 women.
thehill.com
Judge declares mistrial in case of Texas man accused of killing at least 18 women
- Thread starter Charlemagne
- Start date
thehill.com
I always thought a mistrial and a hung jury were two different things. Hung juries are kind of common...Judge declares mistrial in case of Texas man accused of killing at least 18 women
A judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a Texas man who is accused of killing at least 18 women.
Mistrials can result from procedural errors, (Judge's mistakes, evidence submitted that should not have been allowed, like an illegal wiretap, a police search without a warrant, failure to inform the accused of Miranda rights, among other things, etc.). Someone can be tried again after a mistrial, but not, (in the USA), after an acquittal, even if evidence surfaces after the verdict which would have resulted in conviction, (known as "Double Jeopardary"). That's one of the reasons why there is often a long time lag between when an accused is arrested, and when they are tried.
An important point about the Criminal Justice system is that the primary objective is to ensure that Not Guilty accuseds are not convicted; convicting guilty accuseds is the secondary objective.
In some cases, a skilled defense attorney will represent a client whom they believe is guilty of the offense, in part to ensure that all proper legal protocols are followed, so there is not a mistrial, nor grounds for appeal.
An important point about the Criminal Justice system is that the primary objective is to ensure that Not Guilty accuseds are not convicted; convicting guilty accuseds is the secondary objective.
In some cases, a skilled defense attorney will represent a client whom they believe is guilty of the offense, in part to ensure that all proper legal protocols are followed, so there is not a mistrial, nor grounds for appeal.
