John Roberts Strikes Again

The United States Supreme Court has denied the right of an inmate to pay for a DNA test that could prove he's innocent. He's been in jail for 14 years for a crime he says he did not commit. As Matthew Yglesias posts:

n 1993, William Osburne was convicted of kidnapping, assaulting and raping a woman in Anchorage, Alaska. He spent the next 14 years of his life behind bars. Osburne insists that he is innocent, the State of Alaska has in its possession DNA evidence which will once and for all prove his guilt or innocence, and Osburne has offered to pay for DNA testing out of his own pocket. Allowing Osburne to prove—or disprove–his claim of innocence will cost Alaska literally nothing.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court held today in a 5-4 decision by Chief Justice Roberts that Osburne is out of luck. Although Roberts conceded that “[i]t is now often possible to determine whether a biological tissue matches a suspect with near certainty,” he determined that Osburne has no right to pay for a test that could exonerate him for a crime he did not commit. Allowing Osburne to prove his potential innocence, Roberts said, risks “unnecessarily overthrowing the established system of criminal justice.”

Bush League Nation.
Never gonna get over it.

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Ahhh, the serenity of those

who are confident that they will never be wrongly convicted. How lovely for them.

Class warfare, indeed.

"Someone needs to point out that elephants produce infinitely more shit than donkeys." Brad Mays

So glad Obama never wanted to vote for Roberts

Just saying.

Not surprised by the Activist Con Four, but Kennedy? That one seems surprising to me.

And so delighted our Democrats

showed such leadership in mounting a meaningful legislative scrutiny of Bush's SCOTUS nominees.

When Roberts was nominated, SCOTUS anlaysts said Kennedy

tended to be swayed by the most persuasive justice. Without O'Connor, he was up for grabs -- and Roberts seems to have succeeded is bringing him over to the Dark Side. As, iirc, was predicted he would.

overthrowing the established system of criminal justice

it's criminal the way justice has been steadily drained out of the established system.

Heard this

And wasn't surprised, but it made it no less disappointing. It's just so egregiously regressive a ruling that you wonder whether it's 2009 or 1009.

Allowing Osburne to prove his potential innocence, Roberts said, risks “unnecessarily overthrowing the established system of criminal justice.”

But, Roberts is so smiley, even-keeled, and moderate, right? Forget that the guy is bat-shit, 1st century insane, right?

But, we've always been at war with Eastasia...

Is John Roberts a Catholic? I've heard there are 5

on the USSC. Wonder how many / if any admit they are Opus Dei (yes, in the Tom Hanks movie / Dan Brown novel sense, not necessarily the 'real' or 'known' sense.)


We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0

1 John 4:18

Roberts is very much a Catholic; there were questions about

his relationship with Opus Dei, but not really answered, iirc.

I did find one link saying his children go to an Opus Dei school...but could be hearsay.