Lynch Mobs

"Are we going to hang him, or beat him to death?"
--Jenkins (Hang 'Em High) 

A vivid symbol of discretionary rule is the lynch mob. A group of people seek to attack someone without a trial because the group believes that the person has committed a crime.

The target is tried in a court of public opinion rather than in a court of law. This is done because the groups senses a traditional legal process would either a) take too long, or b) result in a 'not guilty' verdict.

In the lynch mob process, the 'trial' is usually loud and emotional. The verdict, if the mob has its way, is always 'guilty' and the punishment is administered swiftly. In the aftermath, the lynch mob justifies its action in the name of 'righteousness.'

As recent events demonstrate, modern day lynch mobs continue to run roughshod over the rule of law.