Constitution Protects the Accused More than Anyone

   Pick it, if you can: Which segment of our society is most protected by the Bill of Rights?
   Blacks? Gays and lesbians? Women? Religions? Gun owners? Well, which will it be?
   Try, criminals. If the answer isn't criminals, then it is the broader group: those accused of crimes.
   Tell me, if this is not right. To begin with, doesn't the Fourth Amendment protect those who would be prosecuted, "against unreasonable searches and seizures"? 
   And, in the Fifth Amendment, we have not just one, but at least four protections. It says, "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury." More, it say, "nor shall any person be subject for the same offence be twice put in jeopardy." More, yet, it says, "Nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to witness against himself." And, finally, it says, "nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..
   So, the double-jeopardy clause, the right to "plead the Fifth," and due process are all found in the Fifth Amendment.
   Keep reading the Bill of Rights, and watch as protections for those accused of crimes come one amendment after another. The Sixth promises that, "the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial." And, it suggests the accused shall be told what crime he has committed, cannot be convicted unless there are witnesses against him, and has the opportunity to bring witnesses to his defense. And, it says he must be provided with a lawyer.
   The Seventh Amendment promises the right to a trial by a jury in lawsuits.
   The Eighth Amendment says excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed. Oh, and it has that famous protection of not allowing cruel and unusual punishment.
   Did you catch all that? Amendments Four through Eight are pretty much devoted to protecting those accused of crime, and, in some cases, convicted of crimes. Count the above protections. There's no less than 14 of them. Impressive, to me.
   I'm thinking, there's no segment of our society that the Founding Fathers protected as much in the Bill of Rights. 

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