Wow — talk about high standards for evidence! In the Netherlands, a Somali mugger with the swag on his person was recently released by the judge for insufficient proof.

A district court in Rotterdam has acquitted a 20 year old Somali of a mugging. Although the police found his loot in his pocket, the judge wanted to see more evidence.

The victim said he was threatened by the Somali, who told him he had a revolver aimed at his back. He received a blow on his head and was forced to surrender his wallet. When the police arrived they found the wallet in the Somali's jacket pocket. The Public Prosecutor (OM) considered robbery proven, but ran up against the judge, who wanted to see further evidence.

The judge was unmoved by the OM's argument that the victim had given a very detailed statement and the fact that the Somali had been convicted of mugging earlier, Additionally the suspect lied in more than one court case in the past, the OM argued in vain. [Acquittal for Man with Loot in his Pocket, NIS News (Netherlands), March 11 2008]

Will America ever become so numbed by political correctness that this sort of craziness will become common here? I hope not, but the arc toward insanity is strong among liberal judges.