Avoiding assumptions about Lancaster arrest reports
We all make assumptions as we go through our days. For instance, many take for granted that Lancaster’s intersections will fill up during rush hours and ease up on weekends. We assume it will be cold in a Pennsylvania winter and warm in summer. Sports fans often assume that their teams will do better than expected, though there’s certainly many who assume their teams will be as bad as experts predict. Assumptions can be useful and easy to make, but there are many times we must guard against taking things for granted.
When you read local news, for instance, and skim through the list of recent Lancaster arrests, it might be easy to assume all those charged are guilty, but it is important to remember that allegations are not evidence of wrongdoing. It’s also vital that we remember that the list of accusations presents only one side of a story: the law enforcement side.
But police officers make mistakes and sometimes are less than truthful themselves and they often make procedural errors that invalidate any evidence they might gather.
A recent article on allegations of wrongdoing included a report that a 20-year-old Lancaster man was arrested for theft. According to the report, police say the man was standing in a driveway where he did not belong and that “after an investigation,” they found that he had taken change from two unlocked vehicles.
The article doesn’t say how officers investigated this or what evidence of theft they might have found. Did the man have change in his pockets? Did they find fingerprints in the cars that matched his? We don’t know from reading the sparsely detailed report.
What we do know is the allegation is not enough to convict the suspect and that prosecutors will bear the burden of proof in court.
You can protect your rights and freedom by contacting a Lancaster attorney experienced in criminal defense. Don’t assume that the fight is over before it begins. We can help.