Other important legislation would require a judge to take into account the suffering of the victim when it comes time to sentence a criminal, would make it a Federal crime to kill, kidnap, or assault senior Federal officials, and would extend the ability of the Federal Government to transfer property to the States, free of charge, for use as prison facilities. These are important and imaginative steps. They can strike a real blow against organized crime and professional criminals. Unfortunately, they have yet to be passed by the Congress. I urge the Congress to act promptly and favorably on these major initiatives against lawlessness in America.
Every moment wasted is a moment lost in the war against crime.
The day after tomorrow, Monday, I will send to the Congress another package of major anticrime measures. These will include suggested revisions of the exclusionary rule. Now, this is the rule that can force a judge to throw out of court on the basis of a small technicality an entire case, no matter how guilty the defendant or how heinous the crime. Our bill would stop this grievous miscarriage of justice by allowing evidence to be introduced where the police officer was acting in good faith. This position has already been taken by some enlightened Federal judges, and I'm asking the Congress to make it the law of the land.