Character Witnesses Should Be Prohibited

To The Editor:
When a man accused of a crime goes to trial in a court where all are equal before the law, he may help his cause with his wallet.
He may also assist himself by arranging for respectable members of the community to testify that he is a man of good character. The consequence of this parade induces jurors to replace facts with this bit of reasoning — his friends have good character, therefore he has good character, and people with good character don’t break the law.
On the other hand, a man of no less good character would put himself to disadvantage if he called upon others to testify to his character if the character of these persons is deemed of a low rating.
Therefore, until such time as today’s vague description of good character is replaced by a precise definition, which subsequently proves a reliable indicator of law abidingness, such witnesses should be henceforth prohibited in courtrooms committed to jury verdicts based on evidence not friendship.
RAY LEWIS
Corbin City
.