03 April 2009

Justice System Gone Wild?

Just a quick note this morning. I've got to get back to it. But a nice little opinion piece by John Farmer on the danger of overreaching by prosecutors and another reason the justice system is broken.

As I mentioned yesterday, the thing I find most disturbing is how far some people are willing to play their power under the mandate of "prosecutorial discretion". As Farmer says,

Above all, Mr. Holder should promote the idea that the prosecutor’s job, understood properly, is an end in itself, not a stepping stone to higher office. The powers to accuse, to arrest and to prosecute are the most fearsome conferred by our society. The abuse of those powers, historically, has been the very definition of tyranny. Accordingly, the attorney general should consider supporting a rule barring prosecutors from seeking higher office for two to five years after their tenure ends.
[Emphasis mine.] I coudn't have said it better myself. Although I do believe I said something similiar just yesterday.

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