Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Re: pleading ''not guilty" when guilty

The Jewish Ethicist on "Can I plead innocent if I did it?" Conclusion: Yes, unless it's big:

"If there is a high-profile case where a "not guilty" plea would create an impression of contempt for the law, then there would be special value in coming clean in court and accepting the prescribed punishment. Not long ago a prominent member of one North American Jewish community pleaded guilty to wrongdoing partly for this reason. And psychologically, the acknowledgment implicit in a guilty plea can sometimes be a helpful step in repentance and reconciliation with the community. But these considerations are hardly relevant for a relatively anonymous individual who has been charged with a minor crime."

ht: SJJ

1 comment:

Scooter said...

Ok, but to me entering a plea of "not guilty" is less a statement of fact and more a challenge for the prosecutor to prove one so.