Because if the evidence were as strong as the evidence in this film, they would have been rightfully convicted. It's virtually impossible for The Kid to be innocent.

Because if the evidence were as strong as the evidence in this film, they would have been rightfully convicted. It's virtually impossible for The Kid to be innocent.

My argument has nothing to do with the acceptability of circumstantial evidence. And indeed almost all evidence, including the strongest evidence, is circumstantial. The only evidence that isn't circumstantial is eyewitness testimony, which is notoriously flawed and which I note in the piece is the weakest element of…

My argument has nothing to do with the acceptability of circumstantial evidence. And indeed almost all evidence, including the strongest evidence, is circumstantial. The only evidence that isn't circumstantial is eyewitness testimony, which is notoriously flawed and which I note in the piece is the weakest element of…

Because there's a difference between real-life events and events constructed by a dramatist intending to present a specific thesis. And that difference muddies things to some degree. In particular, the defendant is meant to be innocent (I respectfully disagree with several people who've asserted that they believe the…

Because there's a difference between real-life events and events constructed by a dramatist intending to present a specific thesis. And that difference muddies things to some degree. In particular, the defendant is meant to be innocent (I respectfully disagree with several people who've asserted that they believe the…

Moral compass?

Moral compass?

Might have been mentioned already (I'm unusually busy at work today so am skimming), but somebody on Twitter pointed to me to a more considered version of the case I make here.

Might have been mentioned already (I'm unusually busy at work today so am skimming), but somebody on Twitter pointed to me to a more considered version of the case I make here.

Not gonna rebut this point-by-point, but your memory of the film is pretty faulty. Yes, it's specifically established that The Kid loses the knife that very night. It's also established that the prosecution made a big deal of how unique the knife in question was. Fonda producing another one doesn't magically turn it…

Not gonna rebut this point-by-point, but your memory of the film is pretty faulty. Yes, it's specifically established that The Kid loses the knife that very night. It's also established that the prosecution made a big deal of how unique the knife in question was. Fonda producing another one doesn't magically turn it…

I don't say that the eyewitnesses are damning evidence. I say the exact opposite, in fact.

I don't say that the eyewitnesses are damning evidence. I say the exact opposite, in fact.

You're simply wrong on the nature of the coincidence, assuming that  The Kid's statement is accurate and that the use of the switchblade is unrelated to his possession of one (i.e. if he isn't being framed). The odds against it are astronomical. You have to multiply, for starters (a) the odds against the father being…

You're simply wrong on the nature of the coincidence, assuming that  The Kid's statement is accurate and that the use of the switchblade is unrelated to his possession of one (i.e. if he isn't being framed). The odds against it are astronomical. You have to multiply, for starters (a) the odds against the father being…

Great discussion, everyone, exactly what I'd hoped for. Better, actually. Rather than jump all over the place I'm gonna address several cogent points here.

Great discussion, everyone, exactly what I'd hoped for. Better, actually. Rather than jump all over the place I'm gonna address several cogent points here.

I appreciate your passionate response, and you're quite right about the possibility of an unintentional "conspiracy" resulting from confirmation bias, which I should have stressed more in the piece. (I do note that it's quite possible that both eyewitnesses are honestly mistaken.) But you ignore that the knife…

I appreciate your passionate response, and you're quite right about the possibility of an unintentional "conspiracy" resulting from confirmation bias, which I should have stressed more in the piece. (I do note that it's quite possible that both eyewitnesses are honestly mistaken.) But you ignore that the knife…