HELSTON: A reminder that you’re innocent until proven guilty
In Canada, you’re innocent until proven guilty whether charged with murder or stealing an ice cream cone.
Sure, you might not go to court over a frozen milk product, but the point is, no matter how heinous or mild the crime, the principle remains the same: an allegation is not a conviction.
We brought you a story this week about a pair of nurses whose car was struck downtown Vernon. One nurse died, and another’s life changed forever. Police are investigating the other driver for impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm. If we let our emotions take charge, it’s easy to pick a good guy and a bad guy in this heartbreaking accident. But we have to remember, as much as we are tempted to blame someone for the tragedy, charges have not been laid. When, or if, they are, the accused is still innocent until she receives a fair trial.
In another recent story, we saw animal cruelty charges laid against an Armstrong man. Our comments section quickly filled with voices condemning the man’s actions. Again, I remind you, this man is innocent until proven guilty. When contacted by infonews.ca, the man accused said he had his own side of the story to tell, but was advised by his lawyer not to say anything that could later be used against him. Before he even gets a trial, he’s been ordered by the court to disperse his 100 horses. They’ll be long gone if, down the road, he’s found not guilty.
Animals in distress and lives lost are terrible, horrible, unnecessary things, but for true justice to prevail, we need to be certain beyond a reasonable doubt of one’s guilt. It’s a high bar, and one that has saved more than one individual from being punished for a crime they did not commit. Put in their place, we would all want the right of innocence until proven guilty.
It can be hard keeping an open mind in the midst of a wrongdoing, but as reporters, and as people, we have to base our opinions on facts, not emotions. In the end, only our country’s judges, who are well equipped for the job, decide who’s guilty and who is not.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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15 responses
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No matter how you slice it, reasons and excuses are two different things, everyone involved has their lives changed that night. People are so quick to jump to conclusions and convict.I imagine the reason this is taking so long is because there are a lot of things that just do not add up or make any sense at all. The victims and their families are owed explanations, the public is so quick to judge they’re only owed the whole story once everything is figured out.
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Its not meant to be an excuse, but if you knew the person whom you are speaking of you would know this is not her behavior.She is just as lost and confused as everyone else, if not more.Its for sure not her call to have things drag out like this at all.
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It may just be more complex than you think. Anyone consider that this woman may have been drugged?Or that none of it makes any sense whatsoever? This is a tragedy for all involved.
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It’s hard to keep a open mind when so many criminals go un punish in this country. The justice system is a joke. Our prisons are 5 stars resort hotel. Peoples commit crimes daily in the open and because it’s high profile they go un punish.
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finally a good article….what’s worse is its the cops/gov who are above the law…ruin peoples lives, drag them through hell in court, terrorising them…then when the case gets thrown out or won, the cops and gov pay nothing….somewhere I read, no one is above the law, least of all government. how many people has fiberal unconstitutional legislation harmed terrorised and damaged…yet they are not accountable.
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In Canada you have the right to defend yourself ….. Not necessarily innocent until proven guilty.
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RCMP will never submit the truth to the courts or media, They will never enter evidence or testify to helpwhen something goes wrong,,, The entire truth..they are after one thingonly , which is a conviction ,, Another notch on the belt…and the judges believe them,,, RCMP statements made to the media are only to prosecute and convict that person in the communities eyes. Everybody is innocent , Until proven guilty,,, and I bet many people are found guilty that are innocent.It drives me crazy when you hear the RCMP and the Media Say “alcohols a factor”…then you find out that person had a glass of wine at dinner with his wife, and only blew a.02 lost traction on a icy road while driving home , unfortunately caused an accident… getting only a ticket ,,, meanwhile this person is convicted in the public’s eye,, the RCMP or the media Don’t have a press release later stating alcohol wasn’t a factor ,,,, To serve and protect? fear them both.
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If you don’t want comments, or thoughts on your articles don’t post them until you have convictions or acquittals….typical media, you don’t always post with correct fact and information. Practice what you preach.
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Your asking the public to forgo human nature,not voice opinion, or challenge a system, that in a healthy democracy needsthe public to do just that.In order for the justice system to get more efficient and pertinent, we must hold it to task. I asked a simple question of the RCMP and justice system yesterday.Why is it Ok to release some suspects names to the media, butthe woman who drove drunk and killed the nurse is allowed to stay out of the limelight for months while the RCMP complete their never ending investigation. Seriously, how long can this really take? This isn’t complex white-collar tax fraud with years of paper trails.
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And thank god in our country we don’t have to worry about getting 10 years in jail and a 1000 lashes for expressing our opinions.
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Yet, Canada’s laws are based on restorative justice. Personally, I prefer it to that of the US , where they have a punitive justice system. I think it is a big reason why Canada is considered a better civilized society.
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Isn’t it true that because of our country’s judges who are supposed to be well equipped for the job, decide who’s guilty or not, the reason we have repeat offenders who commit more and more heinous crimes against those in society, from being able to commit these offences time and time again? The RCMP are continually blamed even though these criminals are caught and brought to trial
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