A sleeping State: when being right could be wrong

PHOTO CREDIT: Zulmaury Saavedra, Unsplash
-
"Hastings sought DNA testing in 2000 but at that time the DA's office denied the request. Hastings submitted a claim of innocence to the DA's Conviction Integrity Unit last year and DNA testing last June found that the semen was not his."
-
https://news.yahoo.com/dna-evidence-frees-california-man-213727536.html
-
While this gentleman is not bitter and while he is not pointing fingers at anyone and while he only wants to enjoy the time he has with whatever life he gets to live - a very wholesome and healthy view for him to have - the DA's office in this story should be looked at very closely.   In 2000, 22 years ago,  when DNA could have freed this gentleman,  his request for it to be tested was denied.   This man has spent 38 years of his life in prison - innocent.
-
The justice system did not work in this case.  We have nothing to be proud of here.  That Mr. Hastings has peace in his thought and feeling about it all, that his prayers and long suffering were both answered and ended speaks to him,  his resilience, his mental health and his persistence in his goodwill - it however does not extend to the DA or the "justice system" - It failed - again. Had Mr. Hastings resigned in 1983 (let that year sink in for a moment) to what was indeed his 38 year destiny he would have depressingly, angrily and hopelessly never have made it to what, as of 10/22/22, is his freedom.
-
I remain convinced that winning and appearing right are what drives our legal system, political system,  educational system,  systems of faith, economic systems and many other "systems" (large and small). Winning and being right are driven by biases. Biases create a refusal to look at other options.  Here the DAs refusal to test DNA 22 years ago (already after Mr. Hastings was in prison for 20 years prior in 2000 when his legal team asked for it) is a tragedy.
-
Abandoning being right and winning, driven by a fear of being wrong (usually about how we judge others) shows insecurity, ego anxieties and a sleeping consciousness that would be counted as actual denial.
-
I love,  as a mental health professional particularly and as an author regarding the biases of life in PsychoBabbleJabble, that Mr. Hastings is literally and psychologically free.  His life offers much to learn from in regards to the 38 years in prison as a rapist and murderer, convicted and re-convicted and re-convicted - so free as he is and has been in persistence alone.
-
That the DAs office in this case is not under investigation for their mistakes,  that they are not being forced to dole out millions to Mr. Hastings, that they are not being considered as criminals themselves may too go back to Mr. Hastings, the gentleman and the man so free as he.