www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/6/111020/3586
CTLiberal Wed Jun 06, 2007 at 08:53:20 AM PDT Julie Amero, the Norwich Connecticut substitute teacher, who was convicted for allowing middle school students to view pornography on a school computer, has been granted a new trial this morning.
HollywoodOz's previous recommended diary for background information. A brief synopsis is: * Julie Amero was substituting 7th graders when pop up spam containing pornography appreared on the computer.
The New London Day: Judge Hillary Strackbein said the state had conducted further forensic information that the jury had not heard at the trial. The information, according to defense experts, was that the computer had generated pornographic popups and that Amero, a substitute teacher, was not at fault. Amero had been convicted of four counts of risk of injury to a minor and faced up to 40 years in prison. She has has been the subject of national attention as of result of the conviction, and seemed relieved after Attorney William Dow explained the judge's ruling. This case received international attention, which I have no doubt contributed to the judge's decision to grant her a new trial. This whole case has been a travesty, from the schools IT department, to the principle of the school, to the Norwich police department and the state's attorney. They should all be fired for the utter incompetance shown in this case. The damage done to this woman's life, her career, her reputation, not to mention she suffered a miscarriage, can never be fully undone, but I'm glad to see her get the chance to get some semblance of her life back through a new trial.
criticized bloggers saying they "were trying to improperly influence" the court. Amero's case became a hot issue for bloggers throughout the country, many of whom sharply criticized the guilty verdict. Strackbein criticized the bloggers today, saying they tried to "improperly influence" the court. Judge Strackbein needs to learn what bloggers do and that we are the new media; we are doing the job the traditional media should be doing, but too often fail to.
One Pissed Off Liberal softly in the hand's of those that recognise the meaning of the word. Let's hope this ridiculous verdict is overturned on one thing alone.
feebog by Gene Zimmerman that I recently finished, she would never have been in this mess and she could have brought a personal injury suit for the loss of her baby, making millions as it was an expensive pregnancy as I understand it. Zimmerman will come to you to give it to a minimum of 10 people for $500 for two weeks of 10 hour days and all the backup help you need in the future. Anyone interested in knowing how to protect their rights can email me for his address. Now just wait for all the lawyers here to start trashing me again about it. No the cops won't go on trial, but they could still have huge financial responsibility probably through the city, after this part is over.
Though many of the legal and forensic experts who have helped her recently have done so pro bono, my understanding is that Julie and Wes have had to go deeply in debt to pay for her defense, and they now face a possible new trial if the prosecutor (idiot) still wants to pursue this despite the evidence. In addition, of course, Julie's education degree has been useless in the years that she has had this looming over her head. With an arrest on a felony (and then four felony convictions) she was not able to get work as a teacher. So I bet even a small financial "tip" would be greatly appreciated by Julie. aka "Maura in CT", since I'm back now in the Nutmeg State, where I grew up...
CTLiberal Common sense should never be allowed to triumph over some prosecutor trying to make a name for himself. Julie Amero should be in jail for forty years for her lack of quick judgement in the classroom!
the judge in this case criticized bloggers today for trying to "improperly influence" the court. aka "Maura in CT", since I'm back now in the Nutmeg State, where I grew up...
Clive all hat no horse Rodeo She was embarressed and wanted to sweep it under the rug. I'm reminded of Scooby Doo and the saying, "If only it wasn't for those pesky, meddling kids I could have gotten away with it".
I wish I had a nickel for every time I've heard that the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence: Judge Hillary Strackbein said the state had conducted further forensic information that the jury had not heard at the trial. The information, according to defense experts, was that the computer had generated pornographic popups and that Amero, a substitute teacher, was not at fault. Unfortunately, you they can't be punished personally or professionally for these "mistakes."
Shahryar And if they did withold evidence that can be illegal and could open up the District Attorney's office to review of every case the individuals who witheld evicence have been involved with.
means are the ends who thinks the Constitution is 'quaint' if the state doesn't pick it up. Sure hope when she does sue their asses into the ground isn't a dumbaya unqualified appointee It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.
gustynpip to anything beyond a successful appeal by the defendant, where the evidence can be taken into consideration in a new trial. But you have to go to the level of a Nifong to be punished, and that's a consideration of the size of the headlines, not the egregiousness of the act. And District Attorney's are not likely to want to reopen all the cases of one or more of their prosecutors.
here's a SCOTUS case where discovery of intentionally-withheld evidence didn't even yield a new trial. And the cops (FBI) won their case so it's doubtful that they were punished.
CTLiberal which you cite, the two defendants were both involved in the murder sufficiently to create murder liability (a normal situation when multiple people work together to commit a felony that leaves someone dead), hence it doesn't matter for purposes of upholding the conviction who the trigger man is. The withheld confession, by corrobating the fact that the murder was intentionally committed by the people who were convicted acting together probably strengthened the conviction even as it weakened the sentence. So, for new trial purposes it probably was "harmless error." Being a trigger man is relevant to whether a death sentence is imposed or not. Brady held that even if exculpatory evidence isn't so good that it will completely acquit you, that it still can't be withheld.
is that Julie and Wes struggled with infertility for years, and the pregnancy that Julie lost after her arrest was the result of very expensive fertility treatments. After her arrest, all of their money had to go to her defense, and of course she wasn't able to work as a teacher. So Julie and Wes could no longer afford to pursue fertility treatments. Last time I spoke with Julie, she said they have given up on trying to conceive due to all this stress and expense and uncertainty about whether she was actually going to have to serve any of the 40 years in prison that she faced. aka "Maura in CT", since I'm back now in the Nutmeg State, where I grew up...
CTLiberal What is it that makes those in power, not just willing to do this kind of thing to another human being, but to be eager to? It's destroyed so much for these two, and what has it gotten for anyone else? Not because of some unfortunate accident, but because of intential malfeasance.
mconvente Reminds me of the McMartin case in LA and the one in San Diego where the families, including the CEO of Jack in the Box, brought preasure on the DA to proscecute a janitor at the school. Luckily the guy was found innocent and he did sue the city.
A simple-minded man beset since birth with a range of severe physical deformities, Dale Akiki was about to be charged with a multitude of despicable crimes against children.
He volunteered at the local Assembly of God Church where the accusations took place. He rode a bus, but was accused by the children of taking them to a house and abusing them all during the 90 minute church service. He sat in jail all that time and when you read the 'evidence' against him, you will un...
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