Dear Editor,
A wise decision can be very difficult to make sometimes, especially when you are being put to the great test or find yourself in a tight spot. However, I must weigh in on this issue.
If a prosecutor has a serious case to pursue — such as a brutal murder — and is awaiting more witnesses to come forward to give evidence, and they refuse, then shouldn't he/she postpone the case, or keep it at a standstill, even if it's going to take 40 years?
If there is an incident of shoplifting or a land dispute, and the matter is being brought to court, the circumstances are different. If after waiting for years for people to come forward and testify, without any success, and at this time you decide against doing so — ie you get frustrated and terminate the case — then, we can see with you, and will understand.
But when a person is savagely killed you have to think twice and make the right decision.
It seems, when faced with this dilemma, our director of public prosecutions (DPP) throws out the case, bringing it to a premature end. This, to me, is a massive error, an heartbreaking calamity to those who were expecting a fair deal — now the losers.
Further, in so doing, you have rendered to Caesar what may not be due to Caesar. This is injustice disguised as fair deal — wrong, wrong, bad decision.
The DPP is a human being, so maybe she, along with her colleagues, has been struck by fear and intimidation, and are forced to go with the flow.
Moreover, this situation exists because people are becoming more and more afraid to give evidence in court. They are being trapped by fear and intimidation and this is a big problem — a national one. They have very little confidence in the Witness Protection Act, which doesn't seem to be working very effectively.
Maybe we will have to rely heavily on another strategy. One in which people can give their stories (evidence) without going into the actual courthouse.
But then again, what would happen to these places if witnesses should stay away?
Donald J Mckoy
donaldmckoy2010@yahoo.com
Time for a rule-change, DPP
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A wise decision can be very difficult to make sometimes, especially when you are being put to the great test or find yourself in a tight spot. However, I must weigh in on this issue.
If a prosecutor has a serious case to pursue — such as a brutal murder — and is awaiting more witnesses to come forward to give evidence, and they refuse, then shouldn't he/she postpone the case, or keep it at a standstill, even if it's going to take 40 years?
If there is an incident of shoplifting or a land dispute, and the matter is being brought to court, the circumstances are different. If after waiting for years for people to come forward and testify, without any success, and at this time you decide against doing so — ie you get frustrated and terminate the case — then, we can see with you, and will understand.
But when a person is savagely killed you have to think twice and make the right decision.
It seems, when faced with this dilemma, our director of public prosecutions (DPP) throws out the case, bringing it to a premature end. This, to me, is a massive error, an heartbreaking calamity to those who were expecting a fair deal — now the losers.
Further, in so doing, you have rendered to Caesar what may not be due to Caesar. This is injustice disguised as fair deal — wrong, wrong, bad decision.
The DPP is a human being, so maybe she, along with her colleagues, has been struck by fear and intimidation, and are forced to go with the flow.
Moreover, this situation exists because people are becoming more and more afraid to give evidence in court. They are being trapped by fear and intimidation and this is a big problem — a national one. They have very little confidence in the Witness Protection Act, which doesn't seem to be working very effectively.
Maybe we will have to rely heavily on another strategy. One in which people can give their stories (evidence) without going into the actual courthouse.
But then again, what would happen to these places if witnesses should stay away?
Donald J Mckoy
donaldmckoy2010@yahoo.com
Time for a rule-change, DPP
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