The Believe the Victim Movement – Part 3

There are a number of good reasons to not unquestionably believe in every victim. I’m not suggesting that we should return to the times when victims were often harassed and rarely believed, but I am saying (if we believe in our system of justice) that equal consideration should be given to the accused, who is …

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The Believe the Victim Movement – Part 2

In the previous post, I wondered how it was possible for Hanna’s family to receive payment as a victim before a trial was even held, and whether that automatically indicated that the accused (my brother) was guilty of the crime. In Aggravated, I have tried to avoid comparing Steve’s case to incidents like the Salem …

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The Believe the Victim Movement – Part 1

Prior to the first trial, Hanna’s family was not only able to obtain funds to pay for sessions with a counselor/therapist, but they were automatically offered that opportunity. The DA’s office sent her a letter which told her how to apply for compensation through the Texas Attorney General’s office. I still don’t understand how the …

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