Africa-Press – Liberia. The Capitol Arson Case has raised eyebrows, with video footage evidence now casting reasonable doubt among jurors.
The trial, which began on August 28, 2025, has been marked by disputes over evidence and allegations of political motivation.
The defendants face charges including arson, attempted murder, and criminal mischief, with potential prison sentences.
Reasonable doubt is a high standard of proof that requires the prosecution to show there’s no other logical explanation for the evidence except the defendant’s guilt, according to a senior Supreme Court’s lawyer.
The lawyer emphasized that if the jurors have doubts about the video footage evidence, they might question the prosecution’s case and decide to acquit.
In our legal system, the prosecution must prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning the evidence presented should be strong enough to leave no room for alternative explanations.
That was exactly the case in the courtroom of Criminal Court ‘A’ when one of jurors, who identity cannot be disclosed, for the political nature of the trial, requested for rescreening of the video, so that he can see it to make an informed decision for himself
In his justification for the question, the juror said, he did not clearly see defendant, Thomas Etheridge accused of orchestrating the arson attack on the Capitol Building, as referenced in the video and therefore ask for the video to be shown so that he can relook at it.
This development happens, while the prosecution’s key witness Rafael Wilson, was answering to a question from the juror.
Witness Wilson also requested for permission of the Court so that his computer where he has the video recording to be brought for rescreening, so that he can show the jurors, the defendants in question.
He further stated that the photos made referenced to are in the status report of the Liberia National Police investigation team and that he wanted to look at it.
It was based on the request made by the juror and witness Wilson that Judge Roosevelt Willie atthourized the rescreening of the video.
Unfortunately, when the video was screened, the juror heard saying “the person in the photo look like a Chinese man,” which could sounds like the defense is getting some traction with their doubts about the video evidence.
The juror’s comment about the photo resembling a Chinese man has definitely added a curveball ( an unexpected event, problem, or question that is difficult to deal with or was not anticipated,) to the trial, another legal practitioners said.
The lawyer emphasized that the prosecution needs to prove that the photo is what they claim it is and that it’s relevant to the case. If the juror’s concerns aren’t addressed, it could lead to reasonable doubt, which is enough to acquit the defendant.
The lawyer said, in fact, reasonable doubt is a fundamental principle in criminal trials, designed to protect defendants from wrongful convictions.
“It’s not about proving innocence, but rather about ensuring the prosecution has met its burden of proof. If there’s a reasonable alternative explanation for the evidence, the jury should acquit,” the lawyer emphasized.
This could be a crucial moment in the trial, as it raises questions about the reliability of the evidence.
Interestingly, the prosecution’s case has faced some challenges, with a key witness admitting that audio recordings relied upon by the state weren’t directly linked to the arson.
The defense has raised concerns about the authenticity and admissibility of evidence, including open-source chatroom transcripts and audio messages.
Given these concerns, the jurors will need to carefully evaluate the reliability of the evidence presented.
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