Comments on: Pittsburgh Jury Won’t Hear Alleged Cop-Killer’s Racial Slurs http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/21/pittsburgh-jury-wont-hear-alleged-cop-killers-racial-slurs/ Hatewatch is a blog of the Southern Poverty Law Center Fri, 24 May 2013 18:34:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: TC http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/21/pittsburgh-jury-wont-hear-alleged-cop-killers-racial-slurs/comment-page-1/#comment-303303 TC Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:51:31 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=6950#comment-303303 I dunno about this one. Yes, what he did was abhorrent, but if he was yelling racial epithets while killing officers of all races, is his yelling particularly pertinent to the murder of one particular officer? I dunno about this one. Yes, what he did was abhorrent, but if he was yelling racial epithets while killing officers of all races, is his yelling particularly pertinent to the murder of one particular officer?

]]> By: Chris http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/21/pittsburgh-jury-wont-hear-alleged-cop-killers-racial-slurs/comment-page-1/#comment-302334 Chris Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:27:33 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=6950#comment-302334 I do sort of understand the justification for suppressing. The jury is supposed to judge the truth of what happened, and frankly the words that came out of his mouth (or at least the particular nouns) aren't terribly important to the facts of the case. And, they might be an emotional trigger which will, again, distract from the main issues at hand. That said, I still do not support the suppression. If you create the precedence of not presenting evidence that's "inflammatory" it could create major problems down the road. I do sort of understand the justification for suppressing. The jury is supposed to judge the truth of what happened, and frankly the words that came out of his mouth (or at least the particular nouns) aren’t terribly important to the facts of the case. And, they might be an emotional trigger which will, again, distract from the main issues at hand.

That said, I still do not support the suppression. If you create the precedence of not presenting evidence that’s “inflammatory” it could create major problems down the road.

]]> By: Pickwick http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/21/pittsburgh-jury-wont-hear-alleged-cop-killers-racial-slurs/comment-page-1/#comment-302323 Pickwick Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:17:48 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=6950#comment-302323 Inflammatory? Of course, his words are inflammatory. He intended them to be so. And as evidence they go to motive. The jury isn't getting the full story. This is a miscarriage. Inflammatory? Of course, his words are inflammatory. He intended them to be so. And as evidence they go to motive. The jury isn’t getting the full story. This is a miscarriage.

]]> By: Jonas Rand http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/21/pittsburgh-jury-wont-hear-alleged-cop-killers-racial-slurs/comment-page-1/#comment-301992 Jonas Rand Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:58:46 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=6950#comment-301992 There's no reason that what he said should not be fully disclosed. He just wants to avoid all the embarrassment that he can, but truth and transparency shouldn't be sacrificed for not embarrassing someone as a racist. There’s no reason that what he said should not be fully disclosed. He just wants to avoid all the embarrassment that he can, but truth and transparency shouldn’t be sacrificed for not embarrassing someone as a racist.

]]> By: skinnyminny http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2011/06/21/pittsburgh-jury-wont-hear-alleged-cop-killers-racial-slurs/comment-page-1/#comment-301655 skinnyminny Wed, 22 Jun 2011 05:09:27 +0000 http://www.splcenter.org/blog/?p=6950#comment-301655 I personally think the jury should hear every word. I know the defense's job is to defend their client, however, when evidence like this is suppressed, it eventually comes out later. Sometimes it comes out later in another incident, and it leaves a stain on the justice system, because people would say, "well he did this before, and he got away with it." I personally think the jury should hear every word. I know the defense’s job is to defend their client, however, when evidence like this is suppressed, it eventually comes out later. Sometimes it comes out later in another incident, and it leaves a stain on the justice system, because people would say, “well he did this before, and he got away with it.”

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