Term 3 Blog Prompt #10

IMF director Dominique Strauss-Kahn was recently arrested on rape charges, and many people in the media judged him guilty even before the case got to trial. But now, information has come to light questioning the accuser's credibility.
Source: "Rush to Misjudgment?" TIME, 7 July 2011, http://www.time.com/time/world​/article/0,8599,2081788,00.htm​l Based on the severity of the accused crime, was it fair for the media to form a premature opinion about Strauss-Kahn's innocence? Write in ABC/PEEL format.

It is not fair of the public to form a premature opinion of Strauss Kahn's innocence. This is because it is unfair towards Struass Kahn and he might be innocent. However, as he has had a bad record of affairs with other women, people would definately make a premature opinion that he is guilty.

The reason why it is wrong to make a premature opinion of Stauss Kahn's innocences is because it is unfair to him. He should be given the rights to explain himself clear, and to prove himself innocent. Now, light has shown that the credibility of the accuser may be questioned. It states that "the 32-year-old hotel maid may be linked to drug dealing and possible money laundering. The unidentified woman also lied to investigators about previously being raped in her native Guinea" . This shows that it was wrong to just accuse Strauss Kahn of rape, as no solid evidence was turned in. As such, he should be given the oppportunity to clear his name, and we should not just make a premature opinion of his innocences.

Secondly, it was wrong to make a premature opinion of his innocences as he may actually be innocent. "Physical evidence, or the lack of it, is going to be central to this case," quoted from top criminal defence attorney Stuart Slotnick. This shows that in this case, no evidence have yet to be found, and thus could also prove the innocence of Strauss Kahn. One should not be guilty unless proven so, and thus we should not make a premature opinion of Strauss Kahn.

However, due to his previous afairs with other females, it makes us think that he is guilty in this case. The source states that he had a " past aggressive behavior toward women" which "seemed to bolster the case against him." This shows that he had a previous history with females, and thus gives us the opinion that he should be guilty in this charge. However, it is wrong to judge a man based on his history. He may still be innocent, and thus, is wrong to judge him based on the alledged accusation.

TO conclude, people should not have premature opinions of Struass Kahn's innocence. This is because he may not be guilty, and is also unfair to him, as he has yet to explain himself innocent. As for his history with women, it is still wrong to judge a man based on this, and thus, is wrong to have judge Struass Kahn's innocences before it is proven, guilty or innocent.