On Fri, 25 May 2012 17:37:57 -0400, Sir · Gregory · Hall, Esq. wrote:
> You are one confused individual. You are confused because you lack
> clarity. The clarity you lack is the FACT that a mistrial was declared.
> A mistrial means EVERYTHING covered in the trial is null and void. It's
> as if the trial never happened. No trial means there cannot be double
> jeopardy for in order for anything to be double there needs be a single.
> In this case there was not a single.
>
> So, stop using that which happened during a mistrial as if it occurred
> during a trial. That is your error. And that is the error of the three
> liberal justices who dissented.
Nobody disagrees that a mistrial means no valid verdict. The issue here
is whether a jury verdict can be overturned by declaring a mistrial. No
mistrial would have been declared had the jury voted to convict, but a
mistrial was declared after the jury voted to acquit (but never formally
delivered the verdict to the court). This may be technically legal, but
it violates the spirit of the Fifth Amendment, an amendment which was
passed in response to the corrupt British practice of retrying dissidents
over and over again until a jury delivered a guilty verdict.
I should add that most leftist opponents of the Blueford v. Arkansas
decision express contempt for the Fifth Amendment right to a Grand Jury
indictment. George Zimmerman, the Hispanic man who shot African-American
teenager Trayvon Martin in alleged self-defense was indicted on
manslaughter charges without a Grand Jury. Leftards bleated praise for
this violation of Zimmerman's constitutional rights, and they seem to
have already made his jury's mind up for them, informing them in not-so-
subtle terms that they will be killed if they vote to acquit.
Leftards and Rightards alike treat the U.S. Constitution like religious
zealots treat the bible and koran, picking and choosing which passages to
ignore and which to demand everyone else obey without question. But
unlike "holy" scriptures, the Constitution can be amended as needed to
suit the needs of modern society. The Fifth Amendment guarantees a right
against double jeopardy *AND* to be indicted by a Grand Jury. There is
no picking and choosing: *BOTH* rights must be respected. If you don't
like it, garner enough public support for a constitutional amendment.
Until then, you must respect the Constitution in its entirety, and the
rest of us will use our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms to
ensure that you do.