"Hard to tell the difference between facts and folklore..."

"Evilness sells...that's the name of the game."



"In order to study the laws of history we must change the subject completely, forget all about kings, ministers and generals, and turn to the homogeneous, infinitesimal elements that move the masses to action. No one can say how far it is within man's grasp to arrive at the laws of history in this way, but it is obvious that this is the only possible way of discovering any historical laws, and human intelligence has hitherto not devoted to this way of thinking a millionth part of the effort that historians have put into describing the doings of various kings, ministers and generals, and expounding their own opinions of these doings."
-Leo Tolstoy, "War & Peace" Volume III, Part III, Chapter 1

What is a show trial?

The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly public trial. The term was first recorded in the 1930s. There is a strong connotation that the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the defendant and that the actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as an impressive example and as a warning. Show trials tend to be retributive rather than correctional justice.


Such trials can exhibit scant regard for the principles of jurisprudence and even for the letter of the law. Defendants have little real opportunity to justify themselves: they have often signed statements under duress and/or suffered torture prior to appearing in the court-room.

Example...

More at Wikipedia...

The Innocence Project Can't Help James Titus - UPDATED

I got a letter from the Innocence Project addressed to "James Titus c/o Erik Anderson" yesterday.

Unfortunately, it says that the Innocence Project will not be able to help me unless I can find DNA evidence from the crime, which happened on April 8, 1886.

According to records, there was more DNA than one man was capable of producing inside Tillie's body. Unfortunately, I don't think that the public is going to approve exhuming Tillie's body in an attempt to find it now. I'm no expert, but I think it's safe to say that the DNA has been destroyed by natural decay over the years. 

That's the update for today.

Stay tuned! We are going to Free James Titus!

UPDATE - here's the letter:


Click Here to Read the Letter

9/30/1886: JANITOR TITUS HAS AN ATTACK OF NERVOUS PROSTRATION

TILLIE SMIITH'S MURDER.; JANITOR TITUS HAS AN ATTACK OF NERVOUS PROSTRATION.
New York Times - September 30, 1886, Wednesday

Page 2, 1028 words

BELVIDERE, N.J., Sept. 29.--This was the second day of the trail of James J. Titus for the outrage and murder of Tillie Smith at the Centenary Collegiate Institute, at Hackettstown. The morning opened bright and clear, and visitors were early on the street seeking relief from the close, stifling air of the overcrowded hotels.

Read the entire article...

And remember:

Where a defendant demonstrates a history of psychiatric problems and a current thought disorder, creating a reasonable basis to question his or her competency to stand trial or to raise a defense centering on mental condition, the court is obligated to conduct a further inquiry either by appointing counsel or directing that a psychiatric examination be conducted.
State v. Ehrenberg, 284 N.J. Super. 309 (1994)