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President Trump’s Tweet on Steinle Murder Verdict Ignores How Justice System Actually Works

 

Not surprisingly, President Donald Trump was not happy that Jose Ines Garcia Zarate was acquitted of the murder of Kate Steinle. Trump took to Twitter, expressing his displeasure, not just with the verdict, but with elements of the trial.

Specifically, Trump lamented that certain information about Zarate was not presented to they jury, such as his criminal history.

Of course, there’s a reason why this information wasn’t provided during the trial. As much as prosecutors would love to throw every negative piece of information at a defendant, they’re limited when it comes to things that have nothing to do with the allegations of the case.

University of Georgia Law School Professor Page Pate, who is also a trial lawyer, pointed this out.

The rationale is that if they jury hears all of a person’s prior bad acts, they could be swayed by information that doesn’t really prove anything. Just because someone did something bad in the past, that doesn’t mean they’re guilty of the current charges.

While President Trump and many others may be disappointed in how the jury decided the outcome of Zarate’s case, rules are rules, and they are geared towards ensuring fair trials.

[Image via screengrab]

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