I just read a book about protecting innocents from criminal convictions -- not that anyone seems too interested in that. The Facebook thing will get all the attention but what really ought to be the key takehome message is that eyewitness identification usually -- meaning almost always -- isn't. Especially cross-racial.

This jibes with what the Innocence Project people have found -- time and again, the single biggest factor that leads innocent people to prison (or even death row) is a faulty "eyewitness ID." And this is leaving aside all the frame jobs, set ups and out and out police testilying -- just people being well-meaning but dead wrong.

That is one very lucky young man. Because despite all we know about the failures of "identification," courts have very little interest in the subject.

This story proves the old adage: "Make an IHOP joke, save a life."

This just proves that a competent investigation always brings out the truth.

Unless the evidence is suppressed.

The eye witness should receive an all expense paid 12 day stay on Rykers Island for this mis- I.D.

Or unless the kid didn't happen to make a timely IHOP joke in a format that had an inarguable time stamp on it. Reread the story -- there were many other people corroborating his alibi while he sat in jail. None of that mattered to the cops or the system -- the "ID" by a guy who had presumably never seen him before in a metro area of 20+ million people carried all the weight.

And understand what would have happened to him had he not had a lucky IHOP joke -- he would have been charged so hard that his own lawyer (were he lucky enough to be able to afford one) would have strongly urged him to plead down to some lesser charge because the system is set up to absolutely hammer anyone who forces their case to go to trial, where they would find that the "presumption of innocence" is a joke.

It can also provide an "air tight" conviction and home detention.

Me: what are you doing on the computer?
Daughter: my homework!
Me: let's just look at your facebook page.
Daughter: ahh, oops....

about alibis? off topic or on time:

Today, until 15:00 talk with Randy Leonard on-air replacing LIARS Larson. 750 AM radio

Maybe for some, here, a chance to SHOUT at Randy on-air ....

I'll be sure to let my resident teens know, because they certainly don't spend enough time on Facebook as it is.

Nooo! don't shout at Randy on-air. He will trace the call and find out who you are and then send his hit squad to your home or business!

Can someone tape the highlights for me? I need to add to my reel of priceless Randy moments, which include his rant on the Chasse murder, clips of his inappropriate cavorting with Mayor Creepy and Storm Large, and a few red-faced blowups during city council meetings. And I can't wait until the soon-to-be ex-wife starts letting go of little tidbits...