Statute Of Limitations
By celticeagle
@celticeagle (159008)
Boise, Idaho
August 18, 2018 9:48am CST
Recently there has been in the news the story of over 300 priests who committed sexual abuse on over 1000 victims in Pennsylvania. I'm sure we are all familiar with the Bill Cosby case too where 60 women accused him of sexual improprieties and only one was able to charge him due to the statute of limitations. This is ridiculous. There should be no such thing. Justice should be available to every citizen and there should be no such statute of limitations.
What is your opinion on this issue?
7 people like this
7 responses
@FourWalls (62120)
• United States
18 Aug 18
I have some serious questions about Pennsylvania. In 2010 they arrested a man in Philadelphia who had been an official in Hitler’s Germany. That was sixty five years after the fact. But they can’t prosecute the priests????
I think if something is illegal now and was illegal when the crime was committed then there should be no statute of limitations. If someone had a warrant for their arrest in California in 1975 for possession of pot (when it was illegal) they shouldn’t be arrested today for a 40-year-old charge, when it’s legal today. But rape is still illegal, so the crime should still be punishable.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95136)
• Marion, Ohio
18 Aug 18
There needs to be a time limit because of evidence and witnesses being available.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85469)
• United States
18 Aug 18
It gets me that rape has a statute of limitations. There are cases of rape that are thrown out on the statute of limitations simply because they have not been tested. They don't even know if there is a match, but because they don't have the resources to get the testing done the cases never go to trial because there wasn't even a chance for them to get tested.
I will never forget watching the show about it. It was about the cases in California, but it was done about 20 years ago. Hopefully, things have changed since then.
1 person likes this
@cttolledo (5460)
• Legaspi, Philippines
19 Aug 18
First time to hear such statute limitations.. We don't have it here in the Philippines as far as I know. What's that all about limitation?
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Aug 18
Certain offenses have limitations on home long they can be prosecuted.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Aug 18
@cttolledo .......Sure is. But they need to do it sooner.
1 person likes this
@cttolledo (5460)
• Legaspi, Philippines
19 Aug 18
@celticeagle its so sad in the case the of victim.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25812)
• Pikeville, North Carolina
18 Aug 18
Statutes of limitations exist to protect people against spurious claims brought years after the alleged incident when the evidence the accused may need to defend themselves may no longer be available due to deaths of witnesses or loss of documents and other material necessary to prove innocence. An accusation alone is not proof of guilt, though in today's world in the minds of many it seems to be enough.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Aug 18
But a victim should have the right to charge. If several people come forward it should have weight too.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Aug 18
@DWDavis .....This is true. Just doesn't quite right from the victim's standpoint.
1 person likes this
