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Maybe Some Justice — Why Now?
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Maybe Some Justice

Australia BC reports that Arson accused moved to Melbourne amid security concerns

A court has heard that the man charged over the Churchill-Jeeralang bushfire in eastern Victoria may need to be protected from other prisoners.

The man, who can not be named, has been charged with one count of arson causing death, one count of deliberately lighting a bushfire, and one count of possessing child pornography.

Twenty-one people are confirmed to have died in the bushfire on Saturday.

This would be SOP [Standard Operating Procedure] for major crimes, isolating the accused. Remember innocent until proven guilty, and if mistakes were made, make sure the accused is alive to be released. My gut tells me that the Victoria police know a lot more than they are letting on, and are holding back a good deal more information than normal to avoid mob violence.

The article sounds like they think the accused is a clinical pyromaniac, i.e. he/she is clinically psychotic.

6 comments

1 Kryten42 { 02.13.09 at 4:54 pm }

Yes. It’s one of the reasons they built the SuperMax facility (that and Howard doing Bush yet another favor). We’ve had a few pedophiles, serial rapists and firebugs suddenly ‘commit suicide’ or have a deadly accident whilst in normal prisons. Personally, I think the other inmates should get a medal. ‘Normal’ crim’s seem to really despise such people. Shows they have some kind of moral values I suppose. 🙂

2 Bryan { 02.13.09 at 7:15 pm }

Some things just “aren’t done”, even in criminal society.

If it looks like the suspect is a psycho, good prosecutors in the US would go for a mandatory commitment, and have the suspect declared incompetent to stand trial. That way, if there is a “miracle cure”, they can still be tried for their crimes. If you go to trial and they are found “not guilty by reason of insanity” they can’t be re-tried if they have a “miracle cure” after a year or so.

3 cookie jill { 02.13.09 at 11:30 pm }

“clinically psychotic?” kinda like the BushCrime family?

cookie jill´s last blog post..skippy’s friday nite music club

4 Bryan { 02.13.09 at 11:59 pm }

It’s something that has legal meaning in New York. Insane means that you cannot tell right from wrong, the old M’Naughten rule, and you are ajudged innocent by reason of insanity. “Clinically psychotic” means that you are or should be under care, but you still know right from wrong. You can still be sentenced to prison if you can assist in your own defense.

The Bush situation is tricky. Determining whether or not someone knows right from wrong, when they manifestly couldn’t care less is the basis for a thesis. Or you could say they were narcissistic sociopaths and leave it at that.

5 Kryten42 { 02.14.09 at 1:27 am }

I’ve been calling them narcissistic sociopaths for years and still think it holds true. The entire Bush family are definitely amoral at best.

6 Bryan { 02.14.09 at 12:20 pm }

Amoral is the best description, because they have never had a moral code to violate.