First, to my loyal readers, I offer my humble apologies for not keeping up with this blog about the murder of Stacey Burns in recent weeks. Most of my efforts have been directed toward getting my third novel, Live Free or Die, through the publishing process. I’m happy to report that I have my author’s copies in hand and that the book will be available soon from the usual paperback and e-book outlets.
Second, to the subject of this post-the murder of Stacey Burns. One can only hope that 2015 will actually be the year when someone is arrested for this crime. Of course, we hoped that in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 as well. The title of this post asks that Stacey’s murder be solved. I guarantee that at least some members of the New Hampshire State Police would tell you that this case is already solved. What they won’t tell you is why there has not been an arrest.
Perhaps it is time to revisit an earlier post on the subject of what makes a successful prosecutor. Here’s the hypothetical question which was raised in that article. Imagine there are ten murders in a state. One attorney general (or a representative) prosecutes all ten but only achieves convictions in seven of them. His success rate is 70%. Another prosecutor takes on only one case out of ten, one he is certain to win. The other nine perpetrators are never brought to trial. This prosecutor has a success rate of 100 %. Which of the two would you call more successful? In that particular post, I mentioned a Harvard Law School Discussion Paper which said that conviction rates are not nearly as important as number of convictions. You might agree or disagree but I think there is some food for thought in that discussion.
I was told that there was an 85% chance that an individual in the Stacey Burns murder case would be convicted but the odds were not worth the chance that this individual might walk free. Meanwhile, Stacey’s murderer is walking free and has been since May 10, 2009!
Duke
We always get the same answer. “we only have one shot at a subject”. “we have to convince 12 jurors beyond reasonable doubt or a killer walks free”. That’s bull. Sure to get a win they do, but to get “another” shot at the subject they only need one. There has been 2 cold cases “solved” in the last year here in N.H. involving killers that were never tried or even publicly named but N.H. knew were guilty. Both killers were stopped by other states after killing other women. If either guy were at least tried, could those other lives have been saved? Again I point to accountability, the system has evolved into a system where no one in the government can be held accountable and the old excuse “we only get one chance” is never questioned. Lets see if anyone even mentions this case this year. I think not, this case has run it’s course and is now officially “cold”
The illogical logic of what makes a “successful” prosecutor, at least in New Hampshire, is sobering and stupefying. I’m at a loss for any other words.