Determining innocence, was Re: Fidelius Charm

[lizvega2]

No: HPFGUIDX 90899

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Regina" <rmm7e at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" 
> <justcarol67 at y...> wrote:
> 
> > Given all the magical methods of accessing a person's
> > memory magically, from legilmency to Pensieves, there's really no
> > excuse for sending an innocent witch or wizard to prison.
> 
> I was thinking about this just this morning (I have a long 
commute, 
> heh heh). Why do innocent wizards get sent to prison? Why aren't 
> those magical methods of determining innocence used?
> 
> It must be seen as unethical, just as we muggles wouldn't be 
> sticking every alleged criminal with sodium whatever-it-is. We 
don't 
> use evidence against a person if it's obtained illegally, either, 
> even if it means the person will get away with a crime.
> 
> Anyone have a discourse about this to share?

> --Regina

LizVega writes:

I'm not sure if using the Priori Incantation would be seen as 
unethical, Mr. Diggory didn't hesitate to check Harry's wand at the 
World Cup in GOF. As far as Veritaserum, I can think of three 
instances where it's mentioned and/or used:

Snape tells Harry that he's going to use it on him in GOF- right 
before Collin interrupts the class to take Harry for the wand 
weighing thing. Later in GOF- DD uses it on Crouch, jr. 

In OOP- Delores gives Harry fake veritaserum, and then jumps down 
Snape's throat when he tells her he doesn't have anymore later. 

So, Snape wanted to use it to see if Harry had broken into his 
office, Dumbledore did use it on Crouch, jr. to find out exactly how 
he came to be at Hogwarts. And, Delores wanted to use it on Harry to 
find out where Dumbledore and Sirius were. Two of the three had less 
than moral motives, but Dumbledore, the only one who actually uses 
it on anyone in the series, has ethical motives. 
> 
It would seem that if a wizard really wanted to know something, and 
the information was accessible through another person, there should 
be no reason why that wizard wouldn't be able to obtain the info. 
Between Priori Incantem, veritaserum, and legilimens, it seems 
logical that no innocent person should be sent to Azkaban. 

But some were, and that makes me believe that either they weren't 
given the opportunity for a fair trial, like Sirius, or someone/ones 
didn't want certain people cleared. Also, some people, like Lucius 
Malfoy, were obviously given the chance to defend themselves. 
Hmmm....does gold buy a get-out-of-jail-free-card?