Regular readers may recall that in June I posted under the heading 'murder in paradise' about an incident, where even in this remote rural spot, we had woken one morning to the news of a murder in the village.
The perpetrators had their day in court this week, one pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault and was release from court having spent six months on remand. His accomplice, who beat the victim to death causing an horrific array of injuries was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he not be allowed to apply for parole for 10 years.
Thursday, 2 December 2004
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3 Comments:
Yes Gem, that's what he'd have got here too. However our courts are back logged so it takes about 1-2 years from the initial committal to trial.
Lisa is correct, America's sentencing is much harsher than Uk & Aust. I agree with some of the sentencing they give however the process is less than fair than the UK and Aust. In America you are guilty till proven innocent...good for some....bad for others.
Lisa/Michelle: I sometimes think our sentencing here is far too lenient, life to me is NOT 10 years, the guy is 23 now, if he is released at 10 years he will still be a young man, the guy he beat to death wont ever get past 51!!
Our courts are usually backlogged, one of my first comments to PG was that I was amazed how fast this case had got to trial, maybe Scotland isn't as backlogged as England.
Innocent until proven guilty is correct in the main I think but it does appear here to mostly protect the guilty....I feel a post coming on, my hackels are rising! lol
Just on that Gem, you would be surprised at the differences between our system (UK & Australia) and the American system.
Judges in our system have very little to do with the prosecuting, bringing to trial and plea charges ( American plea bargaining). Judges are involved from beginning to end in the states...in the Westminster system they are involved in sentencing only.
Westminster system has crown prosecutors that work for the state, America has its district attorneys who are elected by the people....$$$$$$ changes hands.
Plea bargaiing in America is in plague proportion. It's common in UK and Oz too BUT both defence and prosecution and the actual defendant are involved in whether charges are dropped etc.......America doesn't work that way.
Then there is the evidence admissable, completely different again. Of course the prison population speaks for itself.
In Australia...my state Queensland 80% of prisoners are serving less than 1 year.
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