Psycho Trump hater Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the former Speaker of the House who impeached President Trump twice out of spite, issued a statement Thursday night on Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan jury that turned the justice system on its head. Pelosi said that Trump “has the right to a trial to prove innocence.”
The American standard of justice is that the government has to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Defendants do not have to prove anything and have a Fifth Amendment right to not be “compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”
Pelosi’s statement was posted online, “The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law. No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence. Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right.”
The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law.
No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence.
Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system, which grants him that right.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 31, 2023
Cornell Law definition of the “beyond a reasonable doubt” burden of proof for prosecutors:
“Beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal burden of proof required to affirm a conviction in a criminal case. In a criminal case, the prosecution bears the burden of proving that the defendant is guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. This means that the prosecution must convince the jury that there is no other reasonable explanation that can come from the evidence presented at trial. In other words, the jury must be virtually certain of the defendant’s guilt in order to render a guilty verdict. This standard of proof is much higher than the civil standard, called “preponderance of the evidence,” which only requires a certainty greater than 50 percent.”
Cornell Law on presumption of innocence:
“A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is assumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty. As such, a prosecutor is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person committed the crime if that person is to be convicted. To do so, proof must be shown for every single element of a crime. That being said, a presumption of innocence does not guarantee that a person will remain free until their trial has concluded. In some circumstances, a person can be held in custody. The presumption of innocence is not guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. However, through statutes and court decisions–such as the U.S. Supreme Court case of Taylor v. Kentucky–it has been recognized as one of the most basic requirements of a fair trial.”
Politico’s Kyle Cheney fact checked Pelosi, ““Prove innocence” is not the standard in criminal matters. The burden is on the government to prove Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and he enjoys the presumption of innocence until that moment.”
“Prove innocence” is not the standard in criminal matters. The burden is on the government to prove Trump’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and he enjoys the presumption of innocence until that moment. https://t.co/6aaSajVJzX
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 31, 2023
UPDATE: Donald Trump Jr slams “drunk lady” Pelosi, “A right to “prove innocence?” Ummmm … that’s not how it works drunk lady… after spending the last few millennia in DC I would have thought you’d know that. Apparently getting away with insider trading and making millions as a “public servant” (LOL) gave you a false sense of The Law!”
A right to “prove innocence?” Ummmm … that’s not how it works drunk lady… after spending the last few millennia in DC I would have thought you’d know that. Apparently getting away with insider trading and making millions as a “public servant” (LOL) gave you a false sense of The… https://t.co/nFEq9a4uvp
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 31, 2023