The Bastardization of the American Justice System
What is it that fuels the interest of far too many Americans to hang onto every word of a person like Nancy Grace? The new breed of reality based television shows endorses legal talking heads to declare a defendant innocent or guilty on national television without the benefit of legal counsel. The talking heads are typically ex-prosecutors, like George, or practicing defense attorneys, sprinkled with an occasional appearance by a judge or two. The point is - people like George find it far too easy to argue that the accused is, without a doubt, guilty. Nancy George has decided that she is a modern day Joan of Arc, a female knight in shining armor, duly anointed to champion the rights of the victim’s families. Ms. George effectively tugs on the heart strings of her audience because she herself was once the victim of a brutal crime, the slaying of her betrothed. The effects of her loss continue to overwhelm her sense of logic and fair play, and in response to her loss she gave up her dream of becoming an English teacher and replaced that dream with an unyielding crusade to spew invective and hatred against those she deems guilty.
Since the infamous trial of O.J. Simpson, the media and a needy public conspired to invalidate the “not guilty” verdict reached by a mostly black jury. Before, during, and after the trial, the media filled the airwaves with phrases that became part of our national dialogue, phrases that propelled and solidified O.J.’s guilt. “Chilling 911 call; if the glove doesn’t fit, you must not convict.” O.J.’s very public murder case became a beacon for the media not just because he was a celebrity, but because his relationship with Nicole was taboo to many people in America, taboo and titillating to a public starved for controversy and the perverse need to see an icon fail. Defendants, whether O.J. Simpson or Scott Peterson, serve a very real purpose for the media: a way to make more advertising dollars.
Just a few decades ago, the American public embraced more liberal ideas towards crime and the people who committed them. The media, after years of turning violent inmates into journalists or writers, decided a new slant was necessary to insure that their public would continue to support them. So, a new discourse on crime began. We evolved into a nation of people who were more interested in capital punishment and longer prison sentences and as the media fueled our frenzy our compassion waned. Like a pendulum, our society has swung from being a liberal, compassionate society, to a conservative, retributive one. The end result of such an imbalance of sentiment in society is a public that is increasingly pro-prosecution and anti-defense. It is notable that the heroic lawyers of popular culture were once Atticus Finch and Perry Mason, who defended the rights of the accused. Today, the American landscape of justice is straining beneath the demands of an insensitive, fearful public, fueled by a media intent purely on profits. And, as those attitudes have taken root, broad support for the fundamental tenets of our legal system--such as the presumption of innocence--are gradually eroding so that, in the minds of many, an arrest for any crime is tantamount to guilt. The legal shout-fests, "create a habit of mind that almost seems to generate instant justice. That's what TV shows are all about: You get instant emotional response, instant clarity, and instant judgment. That's inconsistent with the frame of mind of deliberation that's necessary for real justice."
Scott and Laci Peterson became the new media darlings; a tragic death that turned out to be murder. After an endless investigation, the young husband and father to be was arrested for the crime. The face of Scott, an all American handsome young man splashed across the media landscape after his arrest. Tales of infidelity and greed began to surface and the vultures came to feed on the tragedy.
Over the course of the Scott Peterson trial Ms. George rallied the support of her audience as she lusted for Scott Peterson’s conviction and her desire for his date with the executioner. How can a woman, or anyone for that matter, put themselves in the position of being judge, jury, and executioner, just for the sake of a paycheck, a person who once took an oath to defend the public good, to honor a simple phrase – “innocent until proven guilty?”
Ms. George, like far too many people, find it easy to condemn another person with only rudimentary facts or half truths. Our jails are overflowing with people incarcerated by over zealous prosecutors, frightened/venal policemen, and by a justice system that is almost beyond repair. Over the years, time and time again, men have been convicted of heinous crimes and sent to jail and after a reinvestigation of the ‘facts,’ have been found to have been innocent. The truth is, sadly, that anyone can be arrested, jailed, convicted, and sentenced to jail for crimes they might not have committed. Occasionally the media will report about the release from prison of such an innocent man or woman, yet there is no outrage by the public or a demand to fix the system. Somewhere buried deep within the hearts of far too many people is a discordant voice that admonishes anyone who is arrested because clearly that person must have done something wrong to have been arrested in the first place. This quaint assumption ensures that our intellectual evolution is wholly sophomoric.
Many in our society have sunk to the mentality of the mob. If you look closely at the cheering crowds outside the courtrooms when guilty verdict are handed down it is not difficult to imagine the re-emergence of the infamous Salem witch trials in modern day America. The exploitation of the public by the media highlights the incredible amount of non-thinking that takes place in American society, especially televised justice.
Insensitivity and a perverse desire “to know” seem to permeate our society and it appears that very few people seem concerned about the public good. Nancy George is paid a handsome salary to incite hatred based on faulty judgment. The woman trades in human flesh, degradation, and pain, yet she acts and is respected as if she were Joan of Arc by her producer and her adoring public. The new cult of shock jocks and media mavens have become the new sin eaters of modern society, devouring credibility and truth, all in an insane attempt to, at the very least, entertain; or at the very worst, to influence.
Since the infamous trial of O.J. Simpson, the media and a needy public conspired to invalidate the “not guilty” verdict reached by a mostly black jury. Before, during, and after the trial, the media filled the airwaves with phrases that became part of our national dialogue, phrases that propelled and solidified O.J.’s guilt. “Chilling 911 call; if the glove doesn’t fit, you must not convict.” O.J.’s very public murder case became a beacon for the media not just because he was a celebrity, but because his relationship with Nicole was taboo to many people in America, taboo and titillating to a public starved for controversy and the perverse need to see an icon fail. Defendants, whether O.J. Simpson or Scott Peterson, serve a very real purpose for the media: a way to make more advertising dollars.
Just a few decades ago, the American public embraced more liberal ideas towards crime and the people who committed them. The media, after years of turning violent inmates into journalists or writers, decided a new slant was necessary to insure that their public would continue to support them. So, a new discourse on crime began. We evolved into a nation of people who were more interested in capital punishment and longer prison sentences and as the media fueled our frenzy our compassion waned. Like a pendulum, our society has swung from being a liberal, compassionate society, to a conservative, retributive one. The end result of such an imbalance of sentiment in society is a public that is increasingly pro-prosecution and anti-defense. It is notable that the heroic lawyers of popular culture were once Atticus Finch and Perry Mason, who defended the rights of the accused. Today, the American landscape of justice is straining beneath the demands of an insensitive, fearful public, fueled by a media intent purely on profits. And, as those attitudes have taken root, broad support for the fundamental tenets of our legal system--such as the presumption of innocence--are gradually eroding so that, in the minds of many, an arrest for any crime is tantamount to guilt. The legal shout-fests, "create a habit of mind that almost seems to generate instant justice. That's what TV shows are all about: You get instant emotional response, instant clarity, and instant judgment. That's inconsistent with the frame of mind of deliberation that's necessary for real justice."
Scott and Laci Peterson became the new media darlings; a tragic death that turned out to be murder. After an endless investigation, the young husband and father to be was arrested for the crime. The face of Scott, an all American handsome young man splashed across the media landscape after his arrest. Tales of infidelity and greed began to surface and the vultures came to feed on the tragedy.
Over the course of the Scott Peterson trial Ms. George rallied the support of her audience as she lusted for Scott Peterson’s conviction and her desire for his date with the executioner. How can a woman, or anyone for that matter, put themselves in the position of being judge, jury, and executioner, just for the sake of a paycheck, a person who once took an oath to defend the public good, to honor a simple phrase – “innocent until proven guilty?”
Ms. George, like far too many people, find it easy to condemn another person with only rudimentary facts or half truths. Our jails are overflowing with people incarcerated by over zealous prosecutors, frightened/venal policemen, and by a justice system that is almost beyond repair. Over the years, time and time again, men have been convicted of heinous crimes and sent to jail and after a reinvestigation of the ‘facts,’ have been found to have been innocent. The truth is, sadly, that anyone can be arrested, jailed, convicted, and sentenced to jail for crimes they might not have committed. Occasionally the media will report about the release from prison of such an innocent man or woman, yet there is no outrage by the public or a demand to fix the system. Somewhere buried deep within the hearts of far too many people is a discordant voice that admonishes anyone who is arrested because clearly that person must have done something wrong to have been arrested in the first place. This quaint assumption ensures that our intellectual evolution is wholly sophomoric.
Many in our society have sunk to the mentality of the mob. If you look closely at the cheering crowds outside the courtrooms when guilty verdict are handed down it is not difficult to imagine the re-emergence of the infamous Salem witch trials in modern day America. The exploitation of the public by the media highlights the incredible amount of non-thinking that takes place in American society, especially televised justice.
Insensitivity and a perverse desire “to know” seem to permeate our society and it appears that very few people seem concerned about the public good. Nancy George is paid a handsome salary to incite hatred based on faulty judgment. The woman trades in human flesh, degradation, and pain, yet she acts and is respected as if she were Joan of Arc by her producer and her adoring public. The new cult of shock jocks and media mavens have become the new sin eaters of modern society, devouring credibility and truth, all in an insane attempt to, at the very least, entertain; or at the very worst, to influence.
posted by taylorlee at 2:17 AM
1 Comments:
Great article. Unfortunately, for the viewing audience, we have to listen to tirades from N.G. It would be great to listen to a debate about the issues being presented, without having to watch N.G. constantly try to humiliate and intimidate her guests. She, is not any great paragon of justice, especially since she has been censusred numerous times for improper and illegal prosecutorial behaviour during her legal career.
Post a Comment
<< Home