McMaster Loses Rape/Kidnapping Trial vs. Hinson, What Was Viewed as a Slamdunk...
I'll be lucky to keep my job if this keeps up, but I gotta speak my opinion on this one. Today, in a stunning verdict, Kenneth Hinson, who was arrested for locking two 17 year old girls in an underground pit under a shed and raping them, was found not guilty on all six counts. I have no idea of whether Hinson raped the girls, or if the sex was consenual as he stated in his testimony. However, the general consensus was that this case was a no-brainer, and a lot of people were surprised by the verdict.
After letting the whole thing play out, I have to find some blame with Attorney General Henry McMaster's decision to try this case personally. This was a case that needed a trial lawyer, and instead, there was a politician in the prosecutor's chair.
I like Attorney General McMaster. His dedication to protecting kids is unsurpassed, and I have no doubt that this case affected him greatly. However, the Attorney General position is very different from a trial prosector job. The right to do was to have treated this like any other case. Let the trained professional who CURRENTLY does this everyday do his/her job, and as AJ, keep up to date with him/her and give him/her all the tools needed to win.
Maybe the jury in Georgetown County didn't listen to him. Again, I don't know. All I know is that Hinson's attorney moved the case out of Darlington County, worried that he wouldn't get a fair trial. Somehow , this jury didn't get the prosecution's case so badly that they couldn't convict him of kidnapping for locking the two girls in his shed! McMaster missed the boat here. All politicians know that you don't blame people for not listening - you blame yourself for not MAKING them listening.
I don't mean to shoot the messenger, but my advice is for McMaster to continue the great job he is doing in Columbia, and let the local prosecuters do what they get paid to. Is a guilty man off the hook (aside from a lucky gun charge that may still 3rd strike him to a life sentence)? Maybe. Once is enough.
7 comments:
Henry was at our meeting this month he is a great speaker. I understand all he did was the opening of the trial I may be wrong. Read what some of the jurors said and you have to agree with them beyond a reasonable doubt. The girls lied about some things for sure and their evidence was not strong enough. You can not convict just because you are evil as some would like to including me sometimes
... and some would like to include me all the time.
... and some would like to include me all the time.
You may be right Earl
Weeeelll between a gun charge and a federal drug charge, he's not back out on the streets.
Someone remind me, is the Cottingham that let Hinson go on an earlier rap still sitting on a judicial bench or has he been replaced as a magistrate?
You are too much WR
I believe that he is still on the bench in MB. Judge Lockemy who handled this case is a customer of mine. I can check with him about what happened.
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