Jack of Harts

An important thing to consider today is the presumption of innocence. It’s an international human right under the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 11. The United States Federal Government has explicitly followed the presumption of innocence since Coffin v. United States in 1895. It’s a recognized part of English common law which America’s laws are based on. In both criminal and civil proceedings, we are considered innocent unless proven guilty. In Latin it is “ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat,” which means, “the burden of proof is on the one who declares, not on one who denies.” It is a tradition that goes all the way back to Rome and the foundation of Western Society as we know it. Anyone who seeks to turn that idea on its head is literally making a stand against a recognized and declared human right. The idea that people are innocent until proven guilty is a central part of our civilization, and how we interact with each other as a people. Be wary of anyone who seeks to end that practice for any reason.