BREAKING: Jury finds Ronald Smith not guilty on all three counts of sexual abuse

WOW! I wasn't in the courtroom and didn't hear testimony, but I have to say I am disappointed!

@Gary : Why are you disappointed ?

Disgusting.

Gabor,
I am disappointed because I thought there would be guilty verdict, and this (expletive) would go to prison for a long time, where he belongs.

The DA's office failed to prove their case to a jury. I'm not sure what a bright idea it is to put a 7-year old on the stand. A child that age can't be expected to be emotionally prepared for that sort of experience, particularly if she/he is rehashing something horrible that happened. The prosecution was asking for trouble.

Isn't there an alternative where you videotape a deposition so you can take some stress out of the court experience for the child?

I have to believe in the justice system and the decision of a jury of peers. If I did not then that means that we need the government to decide the fate of anyone accused of committing any crime. Despite past offenses to have a public defender bring about a non guilty verdict is enough for me to keep my faith in the judicial system. This is not the usual case of injustice due to buying their way out. I may never know the truth and I may not like the outcome but there has to be a system of justice. When someones emotions get in the way of logical thinking it can bring about the wrong outcome. If you have lied, cheated, or stole something then you are forever going to be guilty of any future allegations ? I cannot believe that. If i did then it would be the jailing of every human being in this country and world we live in now.

Isn't there a process where the testimony can be videotaped and shown to jurors? Putting a seven year old in a courtroom situation is a guaranteed problem, as evidenced by the apparently successful work done by the defense here.

Please, somebody tell me I'm wrong if I am. I'd hate to think that if the guy was actually guilty, he's walking away because the DA's office didn't realize that an abused seven year old isn't emotionally capable of handling a courtroom situation where multiple authority figures are leading him/her in different directions.

I'm making no judgments as to innocence or guilt here, I just think there has to be a better way of getting testimony from that type of witness.

I, too, believe in our system of justice and I respect jurors (with the exception of one famous case in the 1990s). But I also know dang well that, just as there are cases of wrongful convictions, there are cases where you know in your gut someone is guilty. But that's, thankfully, not how we mete out punishment in America. You've got to prove it.

This jury obviously didn't feel there was enough there to potentially take 21 years of freedom away from this guy.

Speaking of justice, the Casey Anthony verdict in Florida made me so sick I vowed to purposely avoid seeing or hearing anything about her and her family for the rest of my life (unless, of course, something horrible should be befall her and then I'll be all eyes and ears. If that doesn't sound very charitable it isn't meant to.)

Unfortuneatly if this guy did get away with this you know what that means dont you? 1) Now he feels empowered by getting away with this and this or some other child is gonna suffer some abuse before he is caught again, if he is caught again. 2) This child will probably feel guilty and hurt cause she accused him and the courts failed her, this will be doubly hard if he violates her or another child again then he gets caught and convicted then.

We have to believe in the courts and jury system but face like anything else based on human beings it is imperfect, doesnt mean we cant be angry with results even if we have to live with them.

Evil men like this end up being their own undoing, my only hope is that he gets caught before he hurts any more children.

Maybe the guy isn't evil; maybe he is a guy trying desperately to battle his personal demons so as to live a somewhat normal life.

Also, I don't understand why people are mad at the verdict; were you all so certain of his guilt? Were you all privy to details of the case that the jury were not? Or is it that you simply cannot bring yourselves to believe that a human being might be able to recognize their failings and make honest attempts to correct them?

I agree with Billie and others, we in America have THE BEST justice system in the world, it is not perfect, sometimes innocent people are found guilty and sometimes guilty people are found to be innocent. And part of the Great American Justice System is the opportunity for us to discuss, and disagree with the verdict.

Gary, your words are the most eloquent I've read all day.

Better that ten guilty men go free than one innocent man be imprisoned

That "probably innocent" man had plenty of appeals, all the way up to the supreme court, if there was anything that showed he was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt I think it would have come out.

Also yesterday a white supremest was (finally) put to death for the dragging death of a black man. My only question is "What the hell took so long?"

Howard, the same day a "probably innocent" man was executed in Georgia, a man who was guilty beyond doubt was executed in Texas. He was white man who draged a black man to death, behind his truck, for no other reason than the victim was black.

I don't care if the white man in Texas dragged a white man, he deserved to die. Just like the black man that shot my husband deserves to die, however a jury of "peers" found him not guilty. Do I care that he's black? No. Any skin color won't erase the fact scum is walking the streets and my children were left without a Dad at ages 7, 8 and 11. Torn 50/50 on our court system. As I learned (and I'm sure Smith's family & friends learned) people are going to believe what they want, no matter what is said in court. On a brighter note. It's Friday and the sun is shining, have a beautiful weekend everyone! :-)

I think the rule about previous accusations really needs to be applied with some judgement. I highly disagree with it being used in this case and in circumstances that John Perry mentioned. In this case he admitted to touching the 7 yr old, he qualified it as accidental which to me seems ridiculous as since he has been convicted of sexual offenses to the point of being a level 3 sex offender shows that he should know not to touch or even be around circumstances that can lead to "accidental" touching.

Whats the point in keeping records of dwi or criminal acts sexual or otherwise if it cant be used in court to show that the said person has a prediliction for the activity he is on trial for. This is a substantial piece of info that needs to be considered. Its all nice to believe that people can change but in circumstances like this it's just not realistic. Justice is blind....I know but she's not supposed to be ignorant.

Mr. Perry, we delete posts when there is name-calling, but not because you are simply strongly for or against something or like or dislike something, etc. This is a forum for information and debate. We just want it to be civil. The deletion of your post has nothing to do with any contest or your chances of winning. You're not penalized.

As it happens, the iPad winner had already been selected before your deleted post was published. But please feel free to enter any contest you like. Your posts above are still here because there is no policy violation. No name-calling, no problems.