Making a Murderer

Making a Murderer

 

This Netflix series/documentary tells the story of Steven Avery of Wisconsin, falsely accused, in imprisoned for 18 years for a rape he did not commit.  After 18 years, the real perpetrator was caught and convicted.  Avery sued the county for millions upon millions of dollars for false, and I would argue malicious prosecution.  Before the suit could be settled, Avery was charged with the murder of a photographer he knew as a business associate.  This is the most gruesome case of “here we go again” I have ever watched. More comments forthcoming when I see the rest of the series and do some homework on the case, but the bungles and incompetent malice so the county involved is, unfortunately, very familiar to me.

 

As both a legal professional and crime victim, I can tell you that the system is far from perfect.  Most officers have way too much discretion in my jurisdiction, and the Das office wants to make everything either domestic, which they don’t want to deal with, or civil, which they can’t deal with.

 

Victims are just a piece of evidence.  We have not rights, and if we do not hire our own attorneys, we can’t rely on the victims’ rights advocates; they work for the DA.

 

No one seems to understand probably cause, and if you are a victim, there must be something “suspect” about your own behavior.

 

The beat cops and traffic cops have never heard of Miranda v. Arizona, but they love to intimidate anyone they feel they need to hassle. Yet, when we have evidence of crimes committed against us, it disappears into their evidence locker.

 

Protective orders become mere” suggestions.” If the defendant can explain why she was at the prohibited location, it’s “Okey Dokey” with Officer Friendly.

 

We have a local states attorney who left in disgrace, and a county sheriff that followed suit.  One judge now stocks toys at a local big box store because of repeated traffic and DUI offenses, and another judge in federal prison.

 

We had several ADAs trying very hard to get a job with me in private sector; one was budding novelist who Xeroxed her stories about raven haired lasses with crotchless panties on the county’s copy machine. In one case, she told me she could not represent the victim because she worked for the DA and didn’t want to upset him.  We can’t blame the DA for not caring, though; he was too busy pursuing his non-legal grad school studies and covering up for his baby girl’s DUIs.

 

Catherine Crier has a point.  Read her publications on corruption in the legal profession.

 

This is the tip of the iceberg.  I was a stalking victim for over ten years, with property damage and a lot of stress.  My family, church, and employer were all targeted.  No one wanted to do anything.  I plan on publishing the blog I kept over those years. Maybe someone will benefit.

 

As a legal professional myself, I am ashamed for my own people.  This is not the way we were taught to uphold the law or deal with the public.  What happened to our courses in ethics and victims’ rights?

 

When did our motto become “everything is legal!”

 

Next time, my rants on home health care and care giving.  This is the biggest, most disappointing racket, yet, and there is no help.  My dad’s experience during a brief stay at Fiendish Manor rehab, and their attempts at retaliation, will fill a book. Perhaps these “Memoirs” will prevent someone else from suffering.