Western style justice

Last night I was flipping the channels at home, and bumped into a program in the History Channel about secret passages in old buildings.  Very fascinating.  They explained why some medieval castles and buildings in Europe sport such things.

This is what amazed me, some of these were part of incarceration systems, and they continue explaining that in those times (in this case 17th century England and 18th century Venice), you could be accused of "something" and you don't know what it is you're being accused of; by "someone", and you don't know who are you up against; you are not allowed to attend your own trial; you are imprissoned somewhere while your trial is happening sometime, but you don't know exactly when is it taking place; and if they find you guilty (under these conditions, how can you possibly defend yourself???), they put you in jail, but they don't tell you for how long!!!

What kind of twisted mind could've created a justice system like this?  I wonder if even during those old days, people honestly believed that such a system can bring justice to them.  If yes, then good for them.  But I just can't imagine anybody believing so.