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[Edwina's Secretary]

ES,

There's a difference between the Marines who were charged for what happened at Haditha and what has happened with Cpt. Nowak.

CPT Nowak was apprehended immediately after assaulting someone in a parking lot. There are no major differences in the reports of what happened, and the majority of information in the stories about it came from a press conference with the sheriff's department.

The Haditha incident, however, was reported and investigated months after it happened, and was based on information from people who have no reason to give positive information about US forces actions in Iraq. The Press and some in Congress were pushing for indictments before the official investigation (which was ongoing at the time the story broke) was completed, as in before the facts of the case were known. While the subsequent investigation has shown that indeed there were murders committed, the pressure from the press and Congress almost guaranteed a conviction before the evidence had even been reviewed. Those Marines would have likely been convicted of SOMETHING regardless of the facts in the case. If they had been acquitted of all charges, even if the investigation had shown they did nothing wrong, there would have been hell to pay.

Comparing what CPT Nowak did with the Haditha murders is comparing apples to oranges, especially when you consider the convoluted nature of the military justice system.

So....in her case...no presumption of innocence? I thought everybody gets that...apples and oranges?

[Lady's Human]

Presumption of innocence takes on a slightly different meaning when one is arrested immediately after the fact.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Presumption of innocence takes on a slightly different meaning when one is arrested immediately after the fact.

So she doesn't get the full protection of the constitution? Ouch! I didn't realize that....

How long after the fact does one need to be arrested in order to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise?

[wombat2u2004]

She is presumed innocent until she is found guilty by a court of law.
Every single one of us in the same situation would have a presumption of innocence.
It's the negating of the presumption for bail that is the reason why she is locked up. And that only came into effect when the public prosecutors laid the additional charge of attempted murder against her. The public prosecuters know of this, so thats why they have laid those additional charges. Why would they want to lock her up ???? She has a family, children, she has never offended before....and I'm certain that she would never have overstepped her original bail conditions. Is she a danger to the public ???? Or her so called victim ??? I don't believe so. I believe that woman is very remorseful, and has realised exactly what she has done, and is paying already with her soul big time. Her life from that moment on is probably in ruins......lets just convict her of what she has actually done...assault, and be on our way.
Wombat

[Lady's Human]

The main objection that seems to be being raised is the tone of the discussion surrounding CPT Nowak.

I objected to the tone of the discussion of the marines at Haditha because the case was not clear, facts were at best fuzzy, the military investigation was ongoing, and the press and Congress already had them tried and convicted.

I have no objection to the tone of the discussion in this case as the case is fairly clear cut, (the assault charges, in the least) and most pertinent facts in the case were released by law enforcement in a press conference shortly after the incident and arrest.

Is she entitled to constitutional protection? Absolutely. Special treatment? No.