Criminal defendants find an unlikely friend in Justice Scalia

[alp227]

Justice Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court's most outspoken and combative conservative, is not often described as friendly to criminals.

But in recent years, Scalia has led an unusual pro-defendant faction at the high court in reversing convictions for murder, drug dealing, wife beating and drunken driving.

Next up in early December is a Chicago rapist who claims his 6th Amendment right to confront his accusers was violated because prosecutors did not put on the witness stand a lab technician from Maryland who conducted the DNA test that sent him to prison.

This claim might have been a loser even during the court's long-past liberal era. But with the relentless Scalia leading the charge, it may well succeed, a prospect that worries prosecutors and crime lab directors across the nation.

full: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-court-scalia-20111125,0,7406826.story

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. Scalia pardons criminals because scalia is a criminal.

[Turbineguy]

2. Birds of a feather

[former9thward]

3. Would you like to wipe out the 6th Amendment?

Too inconvenient for you? Should we throw out the right to a trial also -- just throw the 'criminals' in prison based on an accusation?