The Muses still with freedom found - Shall to thy happy coast repair
November 10, 2005 8:31 PM   Subscribe

Britain: Home of freedom, liberty and justice
posted by lalochezia (16 comments total)
 
well, it's probably that bad in the USA too.
posted by brandz at 8:44 PM on November 10, 2005


If only you would let your citizens carry guns, and, maybe get rid of all the video survalience, I might come join ya.
posted by Balisong at 8:52 PM on November 10, 2005


If only you would let your citizens carry guns

You're making the massive assumption that the British people want to carry guns. Surprising as you may find it, citizens of most other western nations don't feel gun laws are any kind of slight upon their liberty. Now, back to the issue at hand. . .
posted by Jimbob at 8:58 PM on November 10, 2005


"Police plan to re-examine the case of 22-year-old Julie Hogg, who was murdered in a sex attack at her home in Billingham, Teesside, in November 1989.
Boyfriend Billy Dunlop was tried for the murder of the pizza delivery girl, but acquitted after the jury failed to reach a verdict on two separate occasions."

Wildly off-topic, but my understanding from Douglas Adams (one of the Dirk Gently novels) was that it was not possible to get pizza delivered in Britain. So there's that.


Now, on-topic, I recall from a recent ABC Law Report that double jeopardy is also being revisited in Australia, on account of a rape/murder case involving a young child. So now there's talk of taking statutory measures to abolish the doctrine, as has been done in the UK.

And according to the relevant Wikipedia article Canada has a substantially weaker version of the doctrine to start with.

So that's two (and a half) common law jurisdictions down...
posted by jedicus at 9:00 PM on November 10, 2005


Speaking of Medieval approaches to the law.. do you still have "Right of Asylum" in the UK? Run to the nearest sanctuary, wait 40 days , abjure the realm from the nearst port. They should bring that back also, it's only been 400 years since that was outlawed, cant be as bad as double jeopardy which has been outlawed for 800 years.
posted by stbalbach at 9:29 PM on November 10, 2005


Why do you people keep bringing Jesus into this?
posted by tweak at 10:56 PM on November 10, 2005


If you are stopped by the police: (if they are not in uniform then ask to see their warrant card.)

I've always wondered just how far your right to verify that the individual you are speaking to actually is a police officer goes. Anybody can forge a warrent card - I've never seen one so how can I possibly verify it?
posted by srboisvert at 11:47 PM on November 10, 2005


Why do you people keep bringing Jesus into this?

I dunno. Why do you people keep bringing guns into this?
posted by salmacis at 12:35 AM on November 11, 2005


jedicus writes "Wildly off-topic, but my understanding from Douglas Adams (one of the Dirk Gently novels) was that it was not possible to get pizza delivered in Britain. So there's that."

You do realise that Douglas wrote comedy, don't you?
posted by benzo8 at 1:07 AM on November 11, 2005


You do realise that Douglas wrote comedy, don't you?

You do realise that Britain is a joke don't you?
posted by alexst at 1:58 AM on November 11, 2005


alexst writes "You do realise that Britain is a joke don't you?"

Having emigrated from there two years ago for that very reason, I can safely say that I do...
posted by benzo8 at 2:02 AM on November 11, 2005


We miss you benzo8.
Just joshing chief.
posted by bouncebounce at 4:27 AM on November 11, 2005


You do realise that Britain is a joke don't you?

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Britain.
Britain who?
Britain "Countries that aren't mine are inherently amusing because of their different culture, customs, and traditions," Jones. It's my middle name.
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 4:30 AM on November 11, 2005


I'd say countries that are Britain's are the most inherently amusing.
Wales, take a bow.
posted by NinjaPirate at 7:13 AM on November 11, 2005


Pot, kettle, black
posted by Decani at 1:56 PM on November 11, 2005


Out of interest, what is so sacred about the double jeopardy principle? OK, scrapping it would need safeguards against trials along the lines of "we didn't get the result we wanted the first time, so we'll try again". But just what is wrong with revisiting a case if, as in the UK now, radically new evidence surfaces? Suppose someone's acquitted of murder for lack of evidence. Then a year later someone finds CCTV footage of them committing it. Why shouldn't they be retried?
posted by raygirvan at 8:37 PM on November 11, 2005


« Older Amir Peretz new leader of Israel's Labour Party   |   Bones Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments