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To be clear about the 'sketchy' conviction of Dwyer: there is no doubt about his guilt, and his defence essentially amounts to "ah, but you should not have been able to catch me". In the US, as I understand it, if the cops violate the rules about gathering evidence then the conviction can be quashed. It's not so automatic over here. So his appeal has been rejected, and no one is upset about that apart from him. As another example, in 2016 or 2017 the Irish police (Garda Síochána) installed a tracking device on a suspect's vehicle. Data collected from this was used in evidence some years later[0]. The suspect's vehicle had left the jurisdiction (crossed the non-border into Northern Ireland) while being tracked, and the Gardaí used this data which they are not allowed to do. So what was done? Well, the judge ruled that the Gardaí hadn't intended that, so it's ok, the data - including data collected outside the jurisdiction - is admissable. "Lol, lmao" added the judge. I know, I know, I can hear an alarm in your head going off as you read this, so I'll throw you another detail you'll love: this was heard in a non-jury court, yeah, that's right a court of three judges, none of this twelve of your peers nonsense. It's all sounds a little less precise than you might like, a little more like muddling through than the 'majesty of the law' vibe. And it kinda is. Mostly works though. [0] https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/tracker-device-planted-o... |