New York violinist murder: two plead not guilty
mainThe murder of Mary Whitaker last summer at her home in upstate New York horrified the music community. Mary was a well-loved member of several orchestras, a person with a ready smile for all and no known enemies.
Two men, Jonathan Conklin, 43, and Charles Sanford, 30, were swiftly arrested in Buffalo.
Their trial has just begun. Both pleaded not guilty. Read more here.
May these two cretins rot in jail for the rest of their miserable lives! Mary was a friend and colleague.
Has something happened to change the idea that a defendant remains innocent until proven guilty in a trial?
A defendant doesn’t “remain” innocent, but should be presumed so by court and jury. Given the known facts in this case, there’s no reason Slipped Disc readers, many of whom knew and loved the victim, should make the same presumption.
They both signed confessions. The two of them know they’re guilty; why should anyone else think different. Their pleas are the result of advise of counsel, a mere technicality in this case.
Conklin and Sanford were arrested in Erie, PA, enabling FBI intervention. The trial has not begun. Only federal and state indictments have been brought at this time.Federal indictments were brought September 5, 2014. State indictments were brought January 25, 2015.