The Scotsman

Judicial verdicts

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Yet another example of the stupidity of having three verdicts in Scotland (yes, no and maybe) (‘Mother cleared of murdering her toddler’, Scotsman, 9 November).

No jury can be sure that an accused is either guilty or innocent of the charge, although such verdicts give that impression.

For that reason alone, let

alone the fact that they were imported from England, we should return to the old Scottish system of proven/not proven. Then ‘not proven’ would be seen its true light, not a ‘bastard’ (probably guilty but we can’t be sure) verdict.

STEUART CAMPBELL Dovecot Loan, Edinburgh

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