SIRCOOKS
09-06-06, - 04:49 PM
The political debate/fallout on what really happened to Mr Samuel "90" Knowles due process will rage on for some time. We must now look forward to the next issue/s surrounding such atrocities to our citizens.
1) Renewing the Extradition Treaty - The Federal jury system in America is a profit making venture (just some knowledge i want to put out there) but, the real issue hear is,
"A prosecutor can obtain a subpoena to compel anyone to testify before a grand jury, without showing probable cause and, in most jurisdictions, without even showing that the person subpoenaed is likely to have relevant information. In the federal system the prosecutor is not required to demonstrate any relevance. The person subpoenaed to testify then is compelled to answer questions unless he or she can claim a specific privilege, such as the marital privilege, lawyer/client privilege, or the privilege against self-incrimination." (http://www.abanet.org/media/faqjury.html - take a look, very interesting)
Remember a few years back when someone apparently talked on one of the cheif ministers from The Turks and Caicos, and the DEA allegedly swooped on a boat they were apparently fishing on at sea, swept them up then took them to the states, (if i remember right) to eventually serve 12 years, the grand jury system supports that. I have no relation to the Queen, but if i go before the grand jury in America and i call her name, with out any reason or evidence, America can ask for her extradition if their is a treaty in place. This injustice must stop, the law is based upon evidence, not hearsay. In this authors mind, if this author had political clout, "I WOULD NOT RENEW THE TREATY", on these grounds and terms. If we wanted one of thie r citizens on any charge, you really think were gonna get them??????
2.) The Treaty, if renewed, and if this author had anything to say about it would go along these guidelines:-
1 - Evidence must be produced, and without reasonable doubt. Evidence includes Videotape, Eye Witness confessions, forensic eveidence, phone taps etc etc.
2 - Citizen is entitled to due process without prejudice (prejudice includes the calling of thier names by a president of another country, at which times proceddings must stop and accused freed). When process is exhausted, allowed no more than 2 calendar weeks to wrap up any business.
3 - Appeals allowed until exhausted.
4 - No Bahamian citizen allowed to spend more than eight years on any criminal offence. Does not apply for any resident, or persons living illegally.
These are just a few of the issues im sure our leaders are aware of, and will try to change the next time. I encourage every nationalistic (because patriotic is so american) bahamian to become educated on issues of foreign affairs.
I know i probably just opened a can of worms here but, so be it, this is the right forum to do it in, where we can all be heard with out face to face confrontations. In no way am i a supporter of Mr Samuel 90 Knowles, what he did was wrong. He is an "alleged" narcotics kingpin, and it is "alleged" that he at times ordered people removed from the population count. I do think however in this post 9/11 america, with their current political climate, HE WILL NOT BE GIVEN A FAIR TRIAL.
If i offended anyone, please respond because i am always looking for new angles and perspectives on issues affecting us as Bahamians.
1) Renewing the Extradition Treaty - The Federal jury system in America is a profit making venture (just some knowledge i want to put out there) but, the real issue hear is,
"A prosecutor can obtain a subpoena to compel anyone to testify before a grand jury, without showing probable cause and, in most jurisdictions, without even showing that the person subpoenaed is likely to have relevant information. In the federal system the prosecutor is not required to demonstrate any relevance. The person subpoenaed to testify then is compelled to answer questions unless he or she can claim a specific privilege, such as the marital privilege, lawyer/client privilege, or the privilege against self-incrimination." (http://www.abanet.org/media/faqjury.html - take a look, very interesting)
Remember a few years back when someone apparently talked on one of the cheif ministers from The Turks and Caicos, and the DEA allegedly swooped on a boat they were apparently fishing on at sea, swept them up then took them to the states, (if i remember right) to eventually serve 12 years, the grand jury system supports that. I have no relation to the Queen, but if i go before the grand jury in America and i call her name, with out any reason or evidence, America can ask for her extradition if their is a treaty in place. This injustice must stop, the law is based upon evidence, not hearsay. In this authors mind, if this author had political clout, "I WOULD NOT RENEW THE TREATY", on these grounds and terms. If we wanted one of thie r citizens on any charge, you really think were gonna get them??????
2.) The Treaty, if renewed, and if this author had anything to say about it would go along these guidelines:-
1 - Evidence must be produced, and without reasonable doubt. Evidence includes Videotape, Eye Witness confessions, forensic eveidence, phone taps etc etc.
2 - Citizen is entitled to due process without prejudice (prejudice includes the calling of thier names by a president of another country, at which times proceddings must stop and accused freed). When process is exhausted, allowed no more than 2 calendar weeks to wrap up any business.
3 - Appeals allowed until exhausted.
4 - No Bahamian citizen allowed to spend more than eight years on any criminal offence. Does not apply for any resident, or persons living illegally.
These are just a few of the issues im sure our leaders are aware of, and will try to change the next time. I encourage every nationalistic (because patriotic is so american) bahamian to become educated on issues of foreign affairs.
I know i probably just opened a can of worms here but, so be it, this is the right forum to do it in, where we can all be heard with out face to face confrontations. In no way am i a supporter of Mr Samuel 90 Knowles, what he did was wrong. He is an "alleged" narcotics kingpin, and it is "alleged" that he at times ordered people removed from the population count. I do think however in this post 9/11 america, with their current political climate, HE WILL NOT BE GIVEN A FAIR TRIAL.
If i offended anyone, please respond because i am always looking for new angles and perspectives on issues affecting us as Bahamians.