Cleveland, OH —Prosecutors lobbied lawmakers everywhere to create sentencing extravaganzas.  This is where so-called Victim Impact Statements are made.  Prosecutors have really succeeded in the efforts to change court rules under the popular guise of giving victims a voice.  It sounds like such a admirable effort until you closely examine what its really about.  Sentencing has changed into nothing more than a variation of the old time-honored Perpwalk for the defendants.  For the victims it’s little more than a perverted form of a Pity Party . Today admitted kidnapper, rapist and fetus killer Ariel Castro got his turn for the spectacle.  Victim  Michelle Knight dramatically told Castro, “You will Face Hell.” They always begin by parading in the defendant into court in jail garb and chains.  Everyone is already aware of what sentence is coming to be handed out and nothing here ever changes the actual punishment.  In Cast...

The ever-popular practice of cops and prosecutors to issue press releases, mug shots and to parade criminal suspects before media cameras is a throw back to medieval times. The public loves to celebrate an infamous arrest and prosecution as they direct their rage towards the accused. The ever-changing media has made perpwalks more exciting than Hollywood film premiers. Everybody wants to see the latest bogeyman on public display. It’s a source for instant gratification for the morbidly curious media consumers. There is no public policy benefit to anyone as a result of the present practices. On the contrary there is great harm. The perpwalk and pretrial publicity has made television infotainment programs that channel fear and hate to every person suspected of an infamous crime. The problem is that this vile practice destroys the presumption of innocence and guarantees an unfair trial to the accused. The practice in so many jurisdictions of letting cameras into courtrooms creates...