Reply To: Innocent until proven guilty

Joseph: There are cases where the person is innocent after being accused. For example John Jones SSN 123-45-6789 is accused of filing false papers. They go and find that it was really John Jones SSN 122-45-6789.

Many times charges are dismissed because the defendant proves that they did not commit the crime. They are innocent. However, once the case goes to a judge or jury the verdict is not “innocent or guilty” but “guilty or not guilty”.

Another example. Grand Jury indicts John Doe for stealing $1.5 million. At trial, the judge disallows documents that were presented to the Grand Jury that proved $550,000 of the theft. Therefore the prosecutor only could prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” $950,000. Is that a false and accusation and is the defendant actually innocent? or just not guilty of stealing $1.5 million?

And of course what about the case of EIDIM ZOMEMIM? The eidus of the discredited eidim cannot be believed; it doesn’t mean that the event didn’t actually happen.