THE USA is now the laughing stock of the Western World of which it has so propounded to be leader. Why? Because of its judicial system.

Not content with the ignominy resulting from the acquittal of O J Simpson for murdering his wife, it now convicts a British girl, Louise Woodward, of murder when the case screamed out 'reasonable doubt'.

I am not for one minute claiming that Louise Woodward is innocent. Only she, God, and perhaps the real murderers know this.

Most certainly I, everyone else in this country, and the jury itself could never know for sure that the injuries sustained by the baby were caused by Louise Woodward.

Only if she had been the sole carer of the baby for the weeks leading up to his death, could she have definitely been responsible for the injury which caused his death.

Did the parents at no time have care of their son for an hour or two? Did absolutely no-one else at all spend any time with him, on their own, when an injury could have been caused?

I am not accusing anyone else of causing the injury which caused the death of this baby.

What I am saying is that no medical expert giving evidence at the trial could definitively state that the injury which caused the death was sustained at a certain time. How could the jury be sure that Louise Woodward was responsible?

If Louise Woodward did kill this baby she deserves a life sentence. How any jury could believe 'unanimously' that she had done so, without having reasonable doubt, is incomprehensible.

Perhaps the time has come, both in the UK and the USA, for serious consideration to be given to the wisdom of allowing 12 jurors to decide such outcomes.

NOEL EKE, Winter Hill Cottage , Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.