# Does the evidence in a case matter in an extradition treaty?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-evidence-in-a-case-matter-in-an-extradition-treaty/680189>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 31, 2014, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-evidence-in-a-case-matter-in-an-extradition-treaty/680189 "2014-01-31T08:49:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-evidence-in-a-case-matter-in-an-extradition-treaty/680189/21 "2015-03-21T07:37:13Z")

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We’ve got our problems, but we’ve got a stable, 200+year old democracy and a justice system that requires evidence to convict. And we have this really novel idea, that you can’t be tried again after being found not guilty. I’m wondering what part of that is bewildering.

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-evidence-in-a-case-matter-in-an-extradition-treaty/680189/22 "2015-03-21T07:43:34Z")

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> [@Habeed](#):
>
> Would the U.S. government say “yep, you done the crime now go do the crime in that tinpot country”.

I think you meant “Now go do the _time_ in that tinpot country.” By the way, I wouldn’t peg Italy as “tinpot”.

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**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-evidence-in-a-case-matter-in-an-extradition-treaty/680189/23 "2015-03-21T14:50:39Z")

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> [@Monty](#):
>
> I think you meant “Now go do the _time_ in that tinpot country.” By the way, I wouldn’t peg Italy as “tinpot”.

Yeah, their justice system has miles to go before they rise to the level of “tinpot”. This country is the literal source of the Mafia, which runs rampant there still. Also, let’s not forget the tremendous money-laundering in the Vatican that Italy has turned a blind eye to for many, many decades.

At some point, corruption simply has to reduce your credibility and standing. It just fucking has to, and that’s that.

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**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-evidence-in-a-case-matter-in-an-extradition-treaty/680189/24 "2015-03-21T15:42:12Z")

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> [@Monty](#):
>
> I think you meant “Now go do the _time_ in that tinpot country.” By the way, I wouldn’t peg Italy as “tinpot”.

Then you must read the details of the police investigation, the jail system, and the trial. Their policing is no different than ours, “Quick! Find someone to pin this on!” However, their methods are a lot worse.

Knox also recounts the time the prison warden told her she had AIDS and demanded a list of everyone she slept with so they could test them; partly for the titillation value, partly for more evidence to prove to the court that she’s a slut, therefore a killer.

The prosecutor had been cited numerous times previously for misbehaviour - lying to the court, falsifying evidence, etc. Standard small town tyrant - whoever he set his sights on, whatever it took to get a conviction.

Think of the worst of unchecked American small town justice, and that begins to come close to Italian small town justice.

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