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submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by alphanerd4@lemmy.world to c/usauthoritarianism@lemmy.world
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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 30 points 1 month ago

Thanks for the context but a court shouldn't be considering things they haven't been convicted for unless it's part of the matter before the court.

Also it doesn't matter if the police shooting was justified. Charging this guy with the police shooting is, and always has been, fucked up.

65 years is 3 life sentences in the normal world. That's not a normal sentence for burglary outside authoritarian countries.

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

a court shouldn't be considering things they haven't been convicted for unless it's part of the matter before the court.

They didn't consider it in the trial to determine his innocence or guilt, which carries a reasonable doubt standard. They considered it at sentencing, which falls under a an abuse of discretion standard. Basically anything can be relevant at sentencing. It's up the the judge to weigh the evidence, and the judge must give appropriate weight to uncharged crimes (probably not much, certainly not as much as convicted crimes). Ever read a pre sentencing report? It's the convict's entire life story. All of it gets considered. Should the court not consider whether someone has a family or deep community ties because they weren't convicted have having a family or deep community ties?

A rigid sentencing rubric that allows no discretion, to me, is the fascist approach to sentencing.

This sentence seems long for the kid's age, but that's Alabama. Vote.

[-] Crashumbc@lemmy.world -1 points 1 month ago

A rigid sentencing rubric that allows no discretion, to me, is the fascist approach to sentencing.

For lesser crimes, I can agree, but felony stuff. I think it should be more rigid.

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

It's the felony murder rule. You intend the foreseeable consequences of your actions. Police shooting your accomplice in an armed robbery is certainly a foreseeable consequences of armed robbery. It's one of the reasons doing armed robberies is illegal.

[-] Mrs_deWinter@feddit.org 2 points 1 month ago

Police shooting your accomplice in an armed robbery is certainly a foreseeable consequences of armed robbery.

I don't understand why that is being equated with murder though. If I would have forced my accomplice into the life threatening situation that got them killed, sure, I would be guilty of their death; but if we assume that they went along willingly how can I get blamed that they got themselves in the situation where (someone else!) killed them?

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

You shared the intent to do the crime, including all its foreseeable consequences.

Criminal liability criminalizes the forming bad intentions (conspiracy and attempt, inchoate crimes) and the bad action of advancing those intention (completed crimes, choate crimes; robbery, murder).

Felony murder liability says: don't do that (don't conspire to do a felony that may likely kill someone and which then did kill someone).

The death arose from the shared bad intent, so the consequences are fairly shared. That's the theory. I know some people who find this rule controversial. I find it controversial as applied, sometimes, but not in theory. It's the economics of the rule. Can't have people hatching dangerous conspiracies to do felonies.

[-] Pieisawesome@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

If you commit a felony and during which someone dies, it’s felony murder. Even if you did nothing wrong except whatever felony

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

Yeah, we're asking if that's moral? We already have laws about being party to a murder or conspiracy to murder. Why do we need to automatically extend liability?

[-] Mrs_deWinter@feddit.org 3 points 1 month ago

That's the law, but is is actually just?

this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2024
612 points (84.6% liked)

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