Dopey?

Thew, Thew, Thew. You mistake equality of means with equality of ends.

Just because a few high profile sports celebrities get off the hook, that does not mean the legal rules do not apply to them. John Q. Public would be back on the job, if he posted bail. With a felony charge, bail tends to be much higher, so if you are upset that Lewis has the pocket change to post bail but you don't; that is a different rant.

That fact is OJ can get off because he can afford to hire lawyers who understand all the rules and use them to OJ's maximum advantage. LeRoy from the 'Hood does 10-20 on a 2nd degree plea bargain, 'cause all he gots is an overworked public defender. Johnny "If the Gloves Don't Fit You Must Acquit" Cochran, could get LeRoy off the hook, too - if LeRoy had the WAM to pay JC.

It is indisputable that celebrities are dealt with kid gloves. Why? Because the simple truth is that most serious (murder other major felonies) criminal cases can't be won. That is a dirty little secret. The "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard is too high unless there is direct physical evidence connecting the defendant to the victim. I am shocked that Scott Peterson was convicted. (Peterson: Celebrity or Average Joe?) No prosecuter in his right mind wants to try Michael Jackson. Right or wrong, people generally assume guilt is someone is on trial. (This is a fact.) But actually proving Jackson's guilt to the correct legal standards would be difficult.

I would also list several celebrities that were made "examples." Martha Stewart and Michael Milken, for example. (I do not condone these people, but neither of these two committed the crime there were originally charged with.) Fame can also paint a target on you. Kobe Bryant - rapest or extortion victim? (A 1st degree asshole, no doubt.) Would those charges be brought against you or I? Probably not. Would you or I be in that room with her? Probably not. (For a host of reasons, one of which was that she would not give a rat's ass about us.)

I would like ONE example of a celebrity that got different legal result, BECAUSE THEY WERE A CELEBRITY, not simply because they have the ching to hire the top legal dogs. (Marion Berry. Okay, name two.) (Union Bosses. They are mobsters, not celebrities. Different dynamic.)