Ask500

Odd how the 'innocent until proven guilty' ideology was unique in a national judicial tactic until the birth of the US. Jury of your peers, all of that - this was a fabulous concept in the world at the time. We've seen many nations follow our example, but these days we seem to be throwing that to the wind. Nowadays, someone simply makes an accusation, and victim's rights groups wants the accused locked up until the trial. Past judicial precedents have never allowed an accused person file charges against an accuser if found not guilty, and that's important. Victims would be less likely to speak up when wronged for fear of courtroom retribution. But the continued whittling away of the rights of the accused in this country just might make it a real possibility.

In most parts of the world you're guilty until proven innocent provided you are granted the time to try and prove it.

I have had people tell me, in all sincerity, that someone we knew wouldn't have been arrested unless he were guilty "because the police don't arrest innocent people."