The Presumption of Innocence in the Me Too Era
Presumption of Innocence in the Me Too Era One of the greatest things about being American is our country’s focus on liberty. Freedom is of such importance that almost everything is secondary to it. Out of this emphasis on liberty came the entire structure of our government and justice system. One of the ways our justice system protects freedom is by presuming innocence of criminal defendants until their guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This presumption of innocence is integral to the entire criminal process. The burden is on the state, meaning the state has to prove its position that the defendant is guilty. The defense, however, doesn’t have to prove innocence; the defense doesn’t have to prove anything. They simply have to attempt to dismantle the prosecutor’s case. The state is the party that has to show up to court ready with its evidence so that guilt can be proven. Until they do, the defendant is innocent. The Innocence Project has shown how p