What Should The Norwegians Do With Anders Breivik?
We have had three massacres in recent years in the UK; Hungerford, Dunblane and Cumbria.
These three are different to the shootings in Norway, in that all three of the perpetrators killed themselves. Even Raoul Moat did this after his horrendous crimes.
So does this mean that they understood the enormity of what they had done in some bizarre way? But we do often hear that the gunman has killed himself or themselves after this sort of case.
So this is the unusual thing about the Breivik case, in which his fate is decided today. Most criminals or terrorists of his kind usually commit suicide. The nearest we have to Breivik in this country is David Copeland, who was a neo-Nazi, who killed three, but it could have been so many more. He was considered to be mentally ill, but was tried for murder and will serve at least 50 years in jail.
I suspect that Breivik is the one person, who if released would either be murdered by his countrymen or do it again.
The View Of Assange In The Press
This article on the BBC, gives a summary of what the world’s press has said about Julian Assange’s press conference yesterday. The Guardian, which would have been considered to be a likely supporter, said this.
“At around 2.30pm Assange emerged on to the balcony, a pallid figure dressed in a business-blue shirt and maroon tie. There was an enormous roar. Assange managed a thumbs-up, then tapped the microphone and inquired: “Can you hear me?” This, perhaps, was the moment for someone to shout: “‘E’s not the Messiah! ‘E’s a very naughty boy!”
The Independent, another possible supporter, was in a similar mood.
“A competent image consultant could have warned him not to emerge into the public eye looking as he did. Far from giving him a Churchillian look, his blue shirt, crimson tie and cropped hair created – as one wag pointed out on Twitter – a curious resemblance to John Inman, from the 1970s’ sitcom Are you Being Served?
“But what was much more serious – the elephant in the room, so to speak – was Assange’s wilful failure to say anything about the actual reason that the Swedish police want to question him.”
But The Sun, which seems to be an increasingly serious paper these days, was similar in tone to The Independent, without the theatrical references was quite matter of fact.
“Odious Julian Assange loved every second of his pompous balcony rant. His speech was long on egotistical claptrap, but oddly failed to mention what this extradition case is actually about — the rape of one woman and sexual molestation of another.
“If Mr Assange really does believe in the importance of transparent justice in a democratic state, he should subject HIMSELF to it now and get on the first plane to Sweden.”
Moving to Assange’s home country of Australia, the Australian takes a more practical approach.
“Assange is an Australian and Australia is a staunch US ally. If Assange’s legal future became a major talking point in this country, you could probably expect a bit of nationalism to intrude. It’s likely, though not certain, that Assange would be seen as wearing the white jersey and the US perceived as wearing a black one. In other words, it probably wouldn’t transpire as a US public relations triumph.”
It’s a mess and the sooner it’s cleaned up, the better.
Megrahi Leaves More Questions Than Answers
Having seen the one-man show Lockerbie: Unfinished Business at the Edinburgh Fringe two years ago, I have always been suspicious that Megrahi was the man behind the Lockerbie bombings.
In the meantime,nothing has convinced me, that he was guilty and I agree with the show, that it was more likely, Iran was behind the bombing.
Now that Megrahi has died, it makes it even less likely that the truth will be discovered.
If you have a view on this case, read this. If it changes your view, note why in your mind.
Burglars Pick On Wrong Pensioner
Two thugs hit Michael Mather, 77, over the head and tried to burgle him. But they had done their research badly and hadn’t found out he’d sparred with Henry Cooper and the Krays. They didn’t come out of it well, as the Standard reports.
Court Uniform
There have been several letters in The Times lately on this subject. So I sent in this missive about C.
My late wife was a barrister for many years and although many ladies in the profession had problems with court uniform, she never did. Egged on by others and especially another barrister, with a love of elaborate footwear and a nickname of ‘Boots’, she pushed everything to the limit. Even twenty years ago, her suits might be blue and/or with trousers. Black as she said was for funerals not work!
Others pondered how she got away with it! Certainly, in one East Anglian Court, she had a stand-off with the late judge, because she liked his malodorous cocker-spaniel, which sat at his feet during cases, so he didn’t dare complain.
I suspect the two of them complete with the spaniel, are enjoying trying some of the Devil’s miscreants!
It has not been published yet, but I think they’ve closed the topic
An Appropriate Punishment for Mr. Brooks
There has been a straw poll of horses in Lambourn about what would be an appropriate punishment for Mr. Brooks, if he should be found guilty.
Ninety percent said he should be gelded. The rest said neigh.
The EU’s Effect On Executions in the United States
This is a piece I found on the Internet. It shows how the EU’s stand against the death penalty and their reluctance to sell needed drugs to states like Oklahoma and California is stopping executions.
Oklahoma, which executes more prisoners per capita than any other state, said on Wednesday it has only 1 remaining dose of pentobarbital, a key drug used to kill condemned prisoners.
One reason the state is running out is because of a ban on the sale of drugs for such purposes by the European Union, which opposes the death penalty.
Oklahoma has a single vial of pentobarbital left after the execution on Tuesday night of 57-year-old Michael B. Selsor, prison spokesman Jerry Massie said.
Oklahoma is the 1st state to publicly admit it has nearly exhausted supplies of the drug but other states may follow because of the EU clamp down, said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C.
Pentobarbital is a sedative that is the first of a 3-drug cocktail administered by Oklahoma. It is followed by vecuronium bromide, which stops breathing, and potassium chloride, which stops the heart.
Oklahoma was the 1st state in the country to use pentobarbital in 2010 after a shortage of another anesthetic, sodium thiopental, caused penal officials in death penalty states to look for an alternative.
11 other states also use it. Arizona and Ohio use a single injection of pentobarbital for executions while nine states use the multi-drug protocol, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Lundbeck Inc, the only manufacturer of pentobarbital, is located in Denmark and forbids its U.S.-based wholesalers from selling the drug for lethal injections, while the European Union forbids its member countries from exporting drugs for executions.
Oklahoma could resort to another anesthetic never used before in executions, Massie said, or it could try to tap existing supplies of pentobarbital.
A 3rd option, he said, would entail going back to sodium thiopental. “It’s available but you run into the same kind of problem. Companies don’t want to use it for executions,” Massie said.
The only manufacturer of sodium thiopental in the United States, Hospira Inc, halted production last year.
Dieter said even if states have stockpiled a large supply of pentobarbital, expiration dates eventually will require new orders, he said.
Any change in death penalty procedures typically are met with legal challenges and sometimes lengthy administrative reviews, Dieter added, noting that California has not had an execution since 2006 because of exhaustive review procedures. A measure has qualified for the ballot in November in California calling for repeal of the death penalty.
Oklahoma has executed 3 men so far this year but has no more executions scheduled. There are 60 people on death row in the state, Massie said.
The state has the highest number of executions per capita since the death penalty was restored in the United States in 1976. Texas has executed more people but has a far larger population.
If the Americans are serious about executing people, they could surely manufacture the drugs they need themselves. Of course they should always use the Iranian method and hang people in public from a crane. I’m certain that the American public would like that. It might even be good for the tourist trade!
Jimmy Carter on the Death Penalty
This article appeared in the Macon Telegraph.
For many reasons, it is time for Georgia and other states to abolish the death penalty. A recent poll showed 61 % of Americans would choose a punishment other than the death penalty for murder.
Also, just 1 % of police chiefs think that expanding the death penalty would reduce violent crime. This change in public opinion is steadily restricting capital punishment, both in state legislatures and in the federal courts.
As Georgia’s chief executive, I competed with other governors to reduce our prison populations. We classified all new inmates to prepare them for a productive time in prison, followed by carefully monitored early-release and work-release programs. We recruited volunteers from service clubs who acted as probation officers and “adopted” one prospective parolee for whom they found a job when parole was granted. At that time, in the 1970s, only 1 in 1,000 Americans was in prison.
Our nation’s focus is now on punishment, not rehabilitation. Although violent crimes have not increased, the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with more than 7.43 per 1,000 adults imprisoned at the end of 2010. Our country is almost alone in our fascination with the death penalty. 90 % of all executions are carried out in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
One argument for the death penalty is that it is a strong deterrent to murder and other violent crimes. In fact, evidence shows just the opposite. The homicide rate is at least 5 times greater in the United States than in any Western European country, all without the death penalty.
Southern states carry out more than 80 % of the executions but have a higher murder rate than any other region. Texas has by far the most executions, but its homicide rate is twice that of Wisconsin, the first state to abolish the death penalty. Look at similar adjacent states: There are more capital crimes in South Dakota, Connecticut and Virginia (with death sentences) than neighboring North Dakota, Massachusetts and West Virginia (without death penalties). Furthermore, there has never been any evidence that the death penalty reduces capital crimes or that crimes increased when executions stopped. Tragic mistakes are prevalent. DNA testing and other factors have caused 138 death sentences to be reversed since I left the governor’s office.
The cost for prosecuting executed criminals is astronomical. Since 1973, California has spent about $4 billion in capital cases leading to only 13 executions, amounting to about $307 million each.
Some devout Christians are among the most fervent advocates of the death penalty, contradicting Jesus Christ and misinterpreting holy scriptures and numerous examples of mercy. We remember God’s forgiveness of Cain, who killed Abel, and the adulterer King David, who had Bathsheba’s husband killed. Jesus forgave an adulterous woman sentenced to be stoned to death and explained away the “eye for an eye” scripture.
There is a stark difference between Protestant and Catholic believers. Many Protestant leaders are in the forefront of demanding ultimate punishment.
Official Catholic policy condemns the death penalty. Perhaps the strongest argument against the death penalty is extreme bias against the poor, minorities or those with diminished mental capacity. Although homicide victims are 6 times more likely to be black rather than white, 77 % of death penalty cases involve white victims.
Also, it is hard to imagine a rich white person going to the death chamber after being defended by expensive lawyers. This demonstrates a higher value placed on the lives of white Americans.
It is clear that there are overwhelming ethical, financial and religious reasons to abolish the death penalty.
Jimmy makes some interesting points and I think he’s right.
One thing I find interesting is that Protestants are more in favour of the death penalty than Catholics. I doubt many European Protestant are in favour, so why the difference?
Connecticut Abolishes the Death Penalty
About time too, but it’s here on the BBC
The Anonymous Widower 