Blackstone meets Greenwood
The recent dropping of attempted rape charges against Manchester United starlet Mason Greenwood has drawn mixed reactions from all quarters. Guardians of morality have been critical of the criminal justice system, dubbing it a farce that principally serves the interests of the elite. Rationalists, however, welcome the decision, noting the overbearing nature of the presumption of innocence in an inherently adversarial ecosystem. It is imperative to note that the overarching justification for the dismissal of the charges is the Blackstone principle. The principle holds that it is better for ten guilty people to escape than for one innocent person to be convicted. To this end, failure to establish and sustain damning charges against an accused person necessitates their release from the shackles of trial. In Mason's case, the withdrawal of key witnesses and the emergence of new material substantially weakened the case stacked against him. For the sake of argument, it would be farcica...