Posts

Justice for Jennifer

Image
Written by R. A. Stewart A criminal justice system needs to be fair to everyone; those affected by the offender’s action and the offender. Sentences must reflect the seriousness of the crime taking into account the various aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Justice can mean different things to different people.  I can tell you what justice is not. It is not a means of taking revenge on people who have wronged you. A sound justice system should not be an “Eye for an eye” system where whatever the offender did to someone then he or she faces the same punishment. The “Get tough on crime” rhetoric spouted by politicians in the US and other countries around the world is only peddling to the vigilant brigade who are baying for blood. It may win some votes, and it may make some voters feel good for a while, but at the end of the day nothing changes. Voters must be getting fed up with politicians who jump on the prevailing bandwagon. America already has the toughest sentences in the wor
Post a Comment
Read more

Jennifer needs your help

Image
Written by R. A. Stewart Jennifer Mee was convicted of first degree murder but it was a murder she did not carry out herself or one which there was no intent or premeditation involved. How is this so you may be wondering. In Florida if someone dies as a result of another crime such as robbery then all participants are equally guilty of the death irrespective of the part they played. Here is a summary of the case: In 2010 Jennifer, then aged 19, agreed to go out on a date with a young man she had contacted on Facebook. Jennifer’s motive was robbery, not romance, and with the help of two male friends she tried to rob her date, however, in the struggle he was fatally shot. Under Florida law, all participants in a fatal robbery are equally guilty of first degree murder. This is known as the “Felony rule.” There is no room for discretion in the application of this rule. One is either guilty of it or not.  Intent or lack of it is not taken into consideration as it should be which means someo
Post a Comment
Read more

Why the Florida Felony rule is unjust

Image
Why the Florida Felony rule is unjust Florida and other states of America have what is called, “The Felony Rule.” It is when someone who wasn’t directly involved in the death of someone else was involved in the felony which led to that individual’s death. A perfect example of this is the case of Jennifer Mee from Florida. As a nineteen year old Jennifer was involved in a mugging which led to the death of the victim. Her two male accomplices carried out the mugging and during this process the victim was shot. There was no intent involved in the death. It was simply a matter of unintended consequences as far as Jennifer was concerned. The trio were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.  Thinking about this case it is difficult to see how anyone can justify such a harsh sentence when there is no intent involved because Jennifer received the same sentence as some of the worst murderers in the US. While the rule’s intention is to deter crime, it’s broad appl
Post a Comment
Read more

Life without parole unjust for under 21 Year olds...

Image
Life without parole unjust for under 21 Year olds... According to the Supreme Court in Massachusetts sending under 21 year olds to prison for life without the possibility of parole is unjust. The State's highest court ruled that anyone under the age of 21 cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, raising it from under 18.  There was a 4-3 ruling in favour of the ban, describing life without parole sentences for those under 21 as cruel and unusual under the Massachusetts Constitution. At the centre of this case was the finding which confirms that the brains of emerging adults are similar to that of juveniles. In 2013 the court ruled that defendants under 18 could not be sentenced to life without parole based on the fact that "it is not possible to prove that a juvenile is irretrievably depraved," thus under these circumstances such a severe sentence is unjustified." This ruling took place in the Commonwealth V. Sheldon Mattis case, whi
Post a Comment
Read more

Free Jennifer Me

Image
In 2010, Jennifer Mee, then 19 agreed to go out on a date with a young man she had contacted on Facebook, but robbery rather than romance was her motive. Her two male accomplices carried out the mugging at the location where Jennifer and her date agreed to meet. However during the scuffle one of Jennifer's male accomplices fatally shot Jennifer's date.  There was no intent or premeditation about the murder and nothing in the trial suggests otherwise. Certainly, Jennifer's reaction afterwards confirms this. According to Florida law, "All participants of a fatal robbery are equally guilty of first degree murder." Yet, what Jennifer did fits the definition of manslaughter or involuntary murder according to any dictionary. Then there is the question of who is responsible for the discharge of a firearm. I mean if the driver of a vehicle was charged with drunk driving then the passengers would not have been charged with the same crime. Jennifer and her two counterparts
Post a Comment
Read more

Just what is the meaning of intent?

Image
Just what is the meaning of intent? Written by R. A. Stewart In the United States a person can be sent to prison for the rest of their life for a murder they did not commit and for a death that had no intent involved. How? In many states any person who is involved in a crime which leads to a person’s death can be charged with first degree murder.  Whether they had anything to do with the death or not it does not matter. Just being a party to the crime makes them equally guilty of murder as the one who committed the actual murder. It all boils down to who's responsible for the fatality and whether the actions of another contributed to another person’s death. This is called the “Felony rule.”  You do not even have to be responsible for the person’s death to be responsible for their death; if you just idly stood by and did nothing while others attacked and killed someone then your inaction caused another person’s death and therefore it means you are partly responsible for the fata
Post a Comment
Read more

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Image
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a landmark document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. It was drafted in response to the atrocities and human rights violations that occurred during World War II and is considered a foundational text in the field of human rights. The UDHR proclaims the fundamental rights and freedoms that are inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. The UDHR consists of 30 articles that cover a wide range of rights and principles. Some of the key rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights include: 1. Right to equality and dignity: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. 2. Right to life, liberty, and s
Post a Comment
Read more