[DarkHorseMama]

I am LIVID at this ruling. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/hopmad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hopping mad"><br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">A jury has found a convicted sex offender accused of raping two teen girls in an underground bunker not guilty of kidnapping, sex crimes and assault with intent to kill.<br><br>
Kenneth Glenn Hinson, 48, wiped his eyes and mouth and appeared to cry after the jury read its verdict, which followed about four hours of deliberations over two days.<br><br>
Authorities had charged that Hinson snatched the then-17-year-old girls from their bedroom and dragged them one at a time to the underground room hidden beneath a tool shed, where he raped and bound them with duct tape.</td>
</tr></table></div>
Holy <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/Cuss.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="cuss"><br><br>
The man DUCT TAPES two teenage girls in an underground room and has "consensual sex" with them?!? And the jury BOUGHT it? uke

 

[Yoshua]

need more information with links please.

 

[kittywitty]

This is a sad day.

 

[kama'aina mama]

<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,267722,00.html" target="_blank">http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,267722,00.html</a>

 

[AntoninBeGonin]

That's. Just. Wrong. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad">

 

[BrooklynDoula]

Sounds like a bad case (with the previous conviction for assualting a 12 year old you have a pattern). That said, I have no doubt that any jury who heard this case WANTED to convict him for rape but they are charged not with doing what they want, or what feels good, but with actually evaluating the evidence presented to them. Sounds like the People made a bad case and that is the real tragedy in a situation like this because they can not try him again. I would be interested to see more of the evidence presented in the case (working in ciminal justice I know that the media only presents a small fraction of the facts and there was likely at least some compelling evidence for the defense or it would not have come down this way).

 

[Arduinna]

Ok really what compelling evidence of innocence could there be if the guy kidnapped them from their homes?

 

[Calidris]

Here is the link<br><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/23/dungeon.trial.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/04/23/du...rss_topstories</a><br><br>
And his claim<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">However, Hinson testified during the six-day trial that the girls had consensual sex with him. He said they made up the story so they would be able to take drugs from the underground room, which he used to store marijuana.</td>
</tr></table></div>

 

[kama'aina mama]

There's almost no such thing as evidence of innocence, nor does there need to be. You have to start with the idea that the accused is innocent and the prosecution has to prove he is guilty. I would guess that lack of evidence of a break in or any struggle at the home of the girl might have been a factor. I would want a pretty good explaination of how he overcame two 17 year old (ie basically full grown) girls and removed them to another location without assistance and without anyone noticing.

 

[Yoshua]

Yeah... Kinda with Kama on this a lil....<br><br><br>
I don't wanna poke to much in here but we don't know all the facts in this case.....

 

[Arduinna]

I fully understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty. If in this case it was his word again theirs regarding the kidnapping as a convicted sex offender his word is not compelling enough on it's own. That was my point.

 

[ShadowMom]

It certainly seems plausible that the girls could have made up the story. That has certainly been known to happen.<br><br>
We don't really know enough about the case, but the jury didn't convict him. Why would we assume he's guilty?<br><br>
That's why the legal system is structured the way it is - it's possible, and happens on a regular basis, that someone is innocent even though they may appear to be guilty by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[Yoshua]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Arduinna</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7927771"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I fully understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty. If in this case it was his word again theirs regarding the kidnapping as a convicted sex offender his word is not compelling enough on it's own. That was my point.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
It wouldn't be just his word though, it would be evidence, or lack thereof.<br><br>
How did he get into their house? There has to be evidence to prove he abducted them from their house. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.<br><br><br>
I understand what you are saying, but how would you feel if everyone who is accused of a crime is automatically found guilty just from the allegation?.....<br><br><br>
There needs to be proof for their word to convict.... And if there was no proof at all, or at least in this case, not enough proof.... he was found not guilty.<br><br><br>
And what if he truly isn't guilty? This man now has to live the rest of his life with all the community believing he is guilty because he was accused.<br><br><br>
This is why we have a jury system.....

 

[kama'aina mama]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Arduinna</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7927771"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I fully understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty. <b>If in this case it was his word again theirs</b> regarding the kidnapping as a convicted sex offender his word is not compelling enough on it's own. That was my point.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I guess that's the real question... was it all testimony based? I haven't a clue.

 

[Arduinna]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>kama'aina mama</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7927887"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I guess that's the real question... was it all testimony based? I haven't a clue.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
yeah that is why I said if.

 

[Houdini]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>MSAX</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7927493"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Sounds like a bad case (with the previous conviction for assualting a 12 year old you have a pattern). That said, I have no doubt that any jury who heard this case WANTED to convict him for rape but they are charged not with doing what they want, or what feels good, but with actually evaluating the evidence presented to them. Sounds like the People made a bad case and that is the real tragedy in a situation like this because they can not try him again. I would be interested to see more of the evidence presented in the case (working in ciminal justice I know that the media only presents a small fraction of the facts and there was likely at least some compelling evidence for the defense or it would not have come down this way).</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/yeahthat.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="yeah that">:

 

[Houdini]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Arduinna</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7927771"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I fully understand the concept of innocent until proven guilty. If in this case it was his word again theirs regarding the kidnapping as a convicted sex offender his word is not compelling enough on it's own. That was my point.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
And if the girls made up the story.....they would be banking on just this line of thought.

 

[lab]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Yoshua</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I understand what you are saying, but how would you feel if everyone who is accused of a crime is automatically found guilty just from the allegation?.....<br><br><br>
There needs to be proof for their word to convict.... And if there was no proof at all, or at least in this case, not enough proof.... he was found not guilty.<br><br><br>
And what if he truly isn't guilty? This man now has to live the rest of his life with all the community believing he is guilty because he was accused.<br><br><br>
This is why we have a jury system.....</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
I agree. Great post.<br><br>
Where's the thread from about a year ago convicting the Duke Lacrosse players when that story first broke?<br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/duck.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Duck">: I'm just sayin'

 

[DarkHorseMama]

True, although the fact is noted that he *did* have sex with the girls. DNA evidence unequivocably showed that. How many rapists have used the "consensual sex" defense to get around DNA?<br><br>
They were taken singly, not together. They were duct taped. He RAN and hid in the woods when the police came. Sorry, but if it looks like a duck....<br><br><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_on_re_us/underground_dungeon" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/...ground_dungeon</a><br><a href="http://www.beaufortgazette.com/state_news/regional/story/6475375p-5767084c.html" target="_blank">http://www.beaufortgazette.com/state...-5767084c.html</a><br><br>
Two review boards recommended he be kept in prison due to likely to reoffend, but he was turned loose by a judge.<br><br>
Sorry for the lack of link earlier. Was irritated by the outcome but also distracted by DS. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[Yoshua]

Age of consent in most states is 16, some states have limitations on ages until 18 but not all....<br><br><br>
Was he brought up on STATUTORY rape charges as well? I would think he would have been if he was in a state where there were age limitations to the 16 year old law.<br><br><br><br>
Reading your links now though, I posted this before reading the new links.