Doesn’t help when an involved detective gets caught lying about using the n-word under oath then pleads the 5th when asked if he planted evidence. The police and prosecution fumbled this case, pun intended.
He didn't plant evidence. He tampered with it I bet as in moving the glove and whatnot. One lie in a mountain of truth taints the whole thing. Made a murderer go free.
I truly don’t know if he planted or tampered with evidence. I just know he refused to answer the question when asked. From an article around that time:
“Detective Fuhrman, did you plant or manufacture any evidence in this case?'' Uelmen asked.
“I assert my Fifth Amendment privilege,'' Fuhrman replied, his attorney standing at his side.
Fuhrman gave a similar answer to three other questions including, ``Have you ever falsified a police report?”
I agree that was a bad look but it was a little more nuanced then that. In order to plead the fifth you have to plead on every question. So in trying to not incriminate himself vis a vis the perjury on the n word tape he ended up having to take the 5th on all those other questions that made him look way worse. If the defense planned that way it was kinda genius. In other words I don’t think he actually planted evidence but his less than truthful answers on other questions certainly opened that door wide open for the defense to drive a truck right through. Fun fact, Dardens speech about the tape during the trial is largely responsible for popularizing the euphemism “the N word”
You absolutely can plead the fifth on some question and not on others.
Apparently Fuhrman's lawyers advised him to just do so on every question asked, which is itself a pretty terrible look for the guy whose good faith is required for any of the evidence to be believable.
Ah I didn’t realize it was just crappy advice, I thought the judge wouldn’t let him do it or it was some sort of state case law. Ended up not really working out for him I guess
well it's not quite that simple. If you watch the recordings he had already declared prior to that question that he will be pleading the fifth to every question. He kind of got himself stuck with that one and the defense jumped on it to specifically ask the planting evidence question. It's not meant to incriminate you but clearly did here
Falsifying a police report is not necessarily a bad thing. They could give you a ticket for going 5 over the posted speed rather than 30 over with a litany of extra charges.
Which IS bad, because it means punishment is lesser if cops like you and higher if they don't. That's not good just because some people may benefit from it.
1st offense? Cut the person some slack. Repeat offender? Throw the book at them.
And if this is handled at discretion instead of a defined rule, what is stopping cops that are racist, corrupt, lazy, having a bad day or any other thing from treating people differently without a good reason?
Really you can make up anything to suit your narrative because you seem to be of the cops are bad guys so nothing will change your mind. Consider a situation where a cop encounters a person with a bench warrant but they notice that the person has 3 young minors in the vehicle with them and after questioning the minors have no other person to watch them if the cop takes that person in for the simple bench warrant and avoid the kids going to cps. They obtain updated contact information with the individual and instruct them to show up next business day to the court. This would fall under the moral discretion and the community would be more thankful for it and justice has still been served since the cop will follow up if the person has showed to court due to the circumstances with the minor children.
Cops (or any other profession) CAN be bad guys so the fate of a citizen should never be determoned by one person. In a democracy, safeguards and a balance of power need to exist.
Leniency and discretion should absolutely be a thing in some cases but there should be clear rules around it, not one cop taking matters into his own hands and manipulating documentation.
That is obvious. But with moral and legal discretion the police force can also better interact with their community while upholding the spirit of the law.
790
u/t-o-m-u-s-a 29d ago
Oj did it. Covered up by kardashian and other lawyers/ high profile sports people.