If you were on a jury..........?

Question

Say you were on a jury charged with sentancing me, what sentance would you give me for this crime- the pre meditated murder, fully planned and admitted by myself, of someone who who had sexually abused my very young daughter.

This is totally hypothetical, I just read a John Grisham book with a similar story, just wondered how it would translate into England.

Answer 1

I'd give you life just for the poor spelling

Answer 2

It is interesting that I wanted to answer this question quickly, but the more I think about it the harder it gets!

Here is a twist: The person who abused your daughter was sexually abused when he was a small child. His mother was filled with rage at her inability to protect her child. She also knew that no sentence short of death could ever make up for the emotional trauma her little boy had went through- probably facing years of therapy if there would be any hope of a normal life. She also knew that the bastard who did this wouldn't get the death penalty and even if he got 25 years, at some point he would be free! Free to do it again, because she also knew that prison does not rehabilitate and even if by some miracle there were years of psychological treatment, the prognosis is very doubtful for most pedophiles. By rights, he should have been in some mental institution, if for no other reason, than he could be locked up for his whole life,( if mental health professionals would be willing to take that responsibility). Maybe then, her daugher would be saved from having to go to court! How could she put her little girl through that!

She felt the system would fail her and her child and her agony impaired her judgement to the extent that she shot and killed him on his way to court. The jury agonized over there guilty verdict but felt they had to follow the judge's directive to make there decision on the factual evidence- they hoped that the judge would have some ability to suspend her sentence, maybe put her on probation, but the judge was heavily influenced by the victim's parents who described their son as a very good person who became a pedophille because he had been abused as a child.

The judge gave the women, ten years in jail. Her son, who had been abused, was now all alone. His mother was no longer there to help him. He was put into foster homes, where he was abused several more times. At some point he gave up trying. Unable to endure his life it came down to a question of suicide or something....

It might have been better had he chosen suicide. At least that way his mother, who would be getting out of jail soon, would not have to see what a mess he had become, but he found another solution. He found that he didn't have to be the victim, he could be the aggressor.

That is when he sexually abused your daughter and then you killed him.

If he was somehow on the jury, he would probably find you innocent and explain that he was relieved that somebody had killed him!
On the other hand your act was selfish. To satisfy your own impulses, you jeopardized the future of you child-when she would be needing you the most! Your act, could leave her all alone in the world, but then again, should you be convicted because you were selfish! "Are you a danger to society?" Do I want to see you behind bars?
No! But, maybe you wouldn't be such a great mother...I don't really know. All I know is that the system that our society counts on to solve these issues, does not seem adequate.

The enthusiasm we have for taking "matters into our own hands" suggests a profound mistrust of a sytem that is suppose to protect us. Unless we find a way to fix that system, we will all end up victms.

Answer 3

unfortunately we the jury are set the task of finding you guilty or innocent we dont play any further part in the case after that and the judge then decideds on the sentence to give you which are set out in guild lines that he has to follow. but with the state of our prisons at the moment he will probably let you go free as there is no more room for new people and i would'nt have any objections to him doing that for you. p.s becasue you admitted the crime if you were to go to jail you would have a 5th of your sentance deducted for your admission and not wasting courts time for a full trail!

Answer 4

the correct answer would probably to find u guilty as no matter the crime it is up to the courts to decide otherwise people will begin to take there own punishment out on other such offenses until an innocent person was murdered. because yes sometimes we do get things wrong. however me as a person on a jury in this particular trial would refuse to find u guilty as an individual purely because i would do the same. why should u do time because your daughter was abused. **** the police. **** the system.

Answer 5

In England the jury only has responsibility for finding the accused guilty or not guilty. The judge decides the sentence

Answer 6

I believe that murder and capital punishment involve spiritual and religious issues of taking human life. So I believe this should be mediated directly between parties until consensus is reached, since the state has no authority over religious decisions except by consent of the people. I would respect your consent equally as all the other parties directly affected by the actions in the case. I would probably argue for community service and not imprisonment so you can be there for your daughter who is the original victim here and will need your support to get through therapy. For the best interest of the child, I would recommend a probated or commuted sentence. For community service I would recommend work related to preventing sex offenses, early detection, and confinement until medical treatment is available. Something constructive and also therapeutic. So this would prevent other people from having to be put in your situation.

Note: I am from Houston, Texas, which has a high rate of prosecuting death penalty murder cases, while also facing immigration issues near the border. I would push for the option for violent criminals to lose their citizenship, to serve time in Mexican prison, doing manual labor in place of children who are then free to go to school instead of working as sweatshop or sex slaves to feed their families. Nothing can replace the stolen lives and childhood of victims of murder or sexual abuse, but at least restitution can be served to society by preventing future victims so they can have a chance at normal childhood and a better life.
If the crime victims are still alive, I believe the offender has to answer to them and their families as part of their reparations.

In place of each violent and/or sex offender who loses citizenship, a law-abiding immigrant applying for citizenship can then become a productive working citizen in that person's place. To encourage people with criminal addictions to come forward, work with authorities and get help before they create more victims, I would allow those who fully confess and cooperate to serve time in the U.S. while those who run from the law forfeit their citizenship in a foreign prison exchange program. This would put conditions on citizenship based on requiring civilized behavior, to reward law-abiding residents and punish those who know they have a problem and refuse to get help.

P.S. This is why I do not qualify to serve on jury duty. My standards of "restorative justice" are not what the U.S. government currently offers. I was told international laws would have to be changed in order to set up such a program for criminal corrections and restitutions. But I believe it is necessary to solve several problems at once with crime, illegal immigration, and child and sex trafficking also linked with immigration smuggling. I advocate building a correctional facility across the Texas-Mexico border in order to house such a prison exchange.

Answer 7

In some cases prisoners will commit judgement themselves coz of proved offence which they do not tolerate even in their criminal community, such is sexual assault towards children. Those accused may get murdered by their cell-mates. so it is not big deal if you kill the bastard while you are under affect of just revealed crime. In that case you deserve only minimum sentence just as lesson for others that can use it as cover of his/her crime. But if you planned it would be completely different as it assumes you somehow in some circumstances can be murderous.
Again, can we be cruel towards those bastards? I think, yes , we can, discreetly. if you got caught it is your fault, you get a quite extensive imprisonment, coz now that is not revenge to consider. You cannot walk away just like that, saying : " I killed him as he was pervert."

Answer 8

Personally I would refuse to give you any sentence. Anyone who abuses a young child should have their body parts crushed in a vice then sawn off with a rusty hack saw. But thats just me!

In this politically correct environment we live in you may be looking at a term in your local detention centre.

Answer 9

I believe rapists/molesters have no right to live; this is a value judgement. I would feel very comfortable taking the life of the molester. Although, this is extremely against the "law", that doesn't mean it's morally or ethically correct to do so.
Justifiable homocide.

Answer 10

No sentance!! Id let you off -- coz if i had a daughter and someone did that to her i would kill them 2!!!People who do that sort of thing dont deserve to live! x

Answer 11

Understandable your reaction to the crime commited on your
sister.This does not give you the right to murder anyone.I would vote you quilty.The judge hands down the sentence.