Oly homeless dude cleared of rape by DNA, Duke team still set to hang

The homeless guy arrested in Oly on rape charges was cleared this week by DNA evidence.

There’s a fine issue here with regards to innocent until proven guilty [or the other way around]. The homeless guy was more or less arrested (and convicted in the court of public opinion) based on not terrible circumstantial evidence and later rightfully cleared. On the other hand, the Duke team gets to hang in the wind while the prosecutor grasps for some remote possibility that the woman isn’t fantastically guilty of extortion.

However if the Olympia guy had been brought in on a date rape or DV charge- he would be guilty of a felony based only on victim testimony. State prosecutors are actually seeking to FURTHER lower the bar for felony convictions because medical / forensic evidence and witnesses to a crime are too tough to get- they want convictions based only on the accusation. The domestic violence strangulation bill heard this week is a good example of public officials behaving as though they are from another planet where logic and reason just don't exist.

If you were accused of a crime, wouldn’t it be nice if they actually had to show SOME SORT OF EVIDENCE that you actually committed it? “Sir- she said you did it and although you say you didn’t- we can and will convict you because she said so.”