Miscarriages Of Justice In The 19th Century

Miscarriages of Justice In The 19th Century
No one will know the truth about the guilt or innocence of Lowder and Thomset, two hanged men who have been convicted of murder in the late nineteenth century Picton. Many believe that at least one of the convicted murders to be innocent. The outcome of the trial of The Lazier Murder was controversial at the time, and remains that way today. The policing, prosecution and sentence of this infamous double hanging demonstrates the insufficiency of the nineteenth century legal system. The case of The Lazier Murder draws the public’s attention to the alarming reality of wrongful convictions in Canada. Lowder and Thomset have a fair chance of being wrongfully convicted on account of the weaknesses of legal mechanisms. The police chief who lead the investigation of
Once the public wanted the men to be convicted, there were few opportunities to change minds. It is imperative for the nineteenth century’s legal system to prevent wrongful conviction considering its detrimental effects on both the individuals and the society. The modern Canadian legal system effectively reduces wrongful conviction through the implementation of peremptory challenge of jury empanelment, sequestration of the jury. Peremptory challenge can be observed as the safeguards of impartial jury. In criminal trials, a defendant is able to exercise the right to a peremptory challenge without justification or explanation. One accused is allowed to remove six jurors who are considered to be potentially biased against him or biased in favour of the plaintiff. Furthermore, prejudicial publicity, hearsay and rumors can influence the jury’s opinions, and ultimately, jeopardize the accused’s right to receive an impartial trial. In high-profile trials, jury are expected to follow the sequestration in order to make their judgements without media bias or community pressures. Isolating jury from the public promote fairness of