Hi Ricardian.

I've just watched the video clip you posted at #143. What a balanced view from a prominent Imam.

I hope, but I am pretty sure that, his views would be echoed by most Imams in this country.

Also by most priests, vicars, rabbis and religious and non-religious lay people.

Rgds SOS

Penalties...
 

The most awful responsibilty about the death penalty is if the decision is wrong just once. That is murder. And alas, it has happened all too often previously.

An old family friend (Now long dead) had to witness a hanging in the early 60's. He never, ever, got over it.

I understand your positions Courtney and TT2, I used to hold them myself. However, in the examples I provided and others of their ilk I would have no trouble in being 100% certain.

My suggested panel system would be to assess the original presiding judge's recommendation that he believed there was no doubt in the specific case. So not a double trial as such. It's only my suggestion, I'm sure the legal profession would refine/complicate such a proposal.

Anyway, it's pretty academic, I don't see parliament changing it's view anytime soon.

Just keep it simple like the military system, "march in the guilty bastard RSM". ;)

I think the death penalty could be narrowed down to just a few cases. Deliberately going out armed to commit a felony, (Woolwich), murder of a policeman in the course of their duty, treason in time of war, that's about it, in each case overwhelming evidence with no doubt.

(armed to include bomb material, setting fire to someone's house etc.)

Quite sickened by the way the BBC keep repeating that they don't understand why HM Queen didn't visit the flower tribute outside the Woolwich barracks, they don't seem to understand precedent for a start, HM would then have to respond to every military death in the same way, still, never let anything get in the way of the BBC's leftist and republican agenda!

Death penalty.
 

The great problem though, is if the verdict is wrong just one time it negates the whole principle. Who tries the jury?.

Ludovic Kennedy wrote a fantastic and extremely disturbing essay based on that young lad who supposedly shot a policeman. The fact that the kid had severe learning difficulties just made it worse.........poor soul didn't even know he was going to be offed until the last moment.

There are people who within them have some capability which we would describe as evil, but does killing them under state sanction make us any less evil? Complex question which I sure there will never be an answer to.......

Just like the murdered police officer.

Want he later found innocent? Seem to remember that one.
Wasn't it this one?

Derek Bentley case - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Derek Bentley Page

Did it not turn on the meaning of his shouted "Let him have it Chris" - did it mean surrender the weapon to PC Miles, or shoot him with it.

Yes he wanted him to hand over the gun, he was already arrested, but at the court trial he kept saying he wasn't as he was not being physically held and didn't understand, his defence lawyer had even stated prior that he should hang! And the judge more or less committed legalised murder..

Read

A Chief Justice got away with murder - Voices - The Independent

And one reason that the death penalty in these cases should never come back, i think it only should be allowed in such cases where the evidence is so damning such as Woolwich that is cannot be got wrong.

There is a petition out there raised by the Vicar in Woolwich to see the three ladies involved awarded the George Medal

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitio...PUi_zonDLjSeYP

Well intended but not a welcome development, I feel.

Why not? Pretty courageous action by all three. GM would be well deserved IMHO

Basil

This is not jet blast.

And alleged libel / defammation has no place on this thread or any other.

I am curious about your occupation you put in your public profile. Can you please explain to me a little bit more about it ?

There is no reason whatever that we should not see restoration of the death penalty.

How the judiciary arrive at that sentence and how the State executes it is entirely different.

In the case of the smoking gun then the verdict should beyond any reasonable doubt.

Where the prosecution case is based on forensic evidence and the jury decides that the case has been determined beyond reasonable doubt then again the death sentence could be awarded.

However I suggest execution could be immediate in the case of the smoking gun and stayed, indefinitely if need be, in the case where the evidence is probably rather than certain.

Like the US system, the prisoner could remain on death row indefinitely.

As far as the person intending to commit murder is concerned, he might be executed or he might be incarcerated for life - no parole.

I long for the restoration of the death penalty even if we never use it. We could then deport the murderers who flee to this country to totally escape punishment in their own, whilst collecting every benefit available courtesy of the UK taxpayer. :mad:

Rosevidney1,
That is a very good point and one which, I must say, I had never heard before.