[Peace-discuss] Brian Chesley's case

[John W.]

At 05:57 PM 4/29/2008, Shirley Stillinger wrote:

>Although I share the anger and disgust voiced by many of you against the 
>behavior of the police who arrested Mr. Chesley, there is an important 
>part of the criminal justice system that has not been mentioned:  the 
>Champaign County State's Attorney.


It's been mentioned, but maybe not enough.



>Whenever any law enforcement officer in the county makes an arrest, he or 
>she sends a report to the State's Attorney, who can then do one of three 
>things:
>
>      1.  Do nothing
>
>      2.  Refer the arrested person into a diversion program
>
>      3.  Take the case to court
>
>I think that diversion would have been the appropriate choice.  Mr. 
>Chesley contributed to the situation and some consequence seems appropriate.


I THINK Mr. Chesley was offered diversion, and declined.  Diversion 
requires an admission of guilt, does it not?



>A couple of years ago, I witnessed a trial in a similar case.  Different 
>State's Attorney, but the same choice.  As someone muttered in walking out 
>of the courtroom, "A case of prosecutorial overreach."


There's a lot of that going around in the criminal "justice" system.  But 
they do try to utilize the diversion program whenever possible, I think.



>--
>Note new email address: 
><mailto:shirley.stillinger at gmail.com>shirley.stillinger at gmail.com.
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