by TChris

Three 12-year-old girls falsely accused Eric Nordmark of attacking them in a park. False accusations are always tragic, but they compounded the problems Nordmark already faced. Nordmark was homeless at the time the accusations were made.

Nordmark spent eight months in jail awaiting trial. Had Nordmark been a wealthy man, he could have posted bail. Lacking resources, Nordmark -- despite the presumption of innocence -- sat behind bars until his accusers, during his trial, admitted that they made up the story to explain why they were late returning home from school.

The girls will serve less time than Nordmark did. All were charged in juvenile court with conspiracy, and one was also charged with perjury. Two girls were given 45 days in detention and one was given a month. They each received credit for 25 days already spent in custody. They will each be on probation for nine years, and they must perform community service and pay restitution.

To his credit, Nordmark doesn't blame the girls for his incarceration. He isn't complaining that they won't serve as much time behind bars as he did. "Kids are kids," he says. "Kids do bonehead things."

Nordmark is unhappy with the police for simply accepting a story without conducting a thorough investigation. His concern is legitimate. It is also legitimate to question why a system of justice that presumes people innocent and that promises equal treatment under the law nonetheless favors those who can afford to pay bail while incarcerating the destitute until their cases come to trial.