Sunday, August 17, 2003

The problem of murder

As seen in this story about a murderer named "John Doe"

In 1994, Doe brutally murdered a family member with a knife in Maricopa County. He plead guilty except insane and was sent to the Arizona State Hospital to be restored to sanity. Pleading guilty to the murder of his relative, Doe would have spent 25 years to life in prison. But by pleading guilty except insane, Doe was sent to the state hospital. And instead of spending 25 years in custody, Doe is now out of the state hospital and back into society a mere eight years later.

[...]

The Flagstaff resident is a relative of Doe, who plead guilty except insane soon after the law was created. He does not want to use his name or Doe's real name for fear Doe will read about himself, recognize it is him and possibly retaliate against the family. "We were led to believe by the prosecution and defense that he would remain at the state hospital for the remainder of his sentence," the relative said. "And if he were to be restored to sanity, he would be returned to the jurisdiction of the justice system."

That is not what happened.


Has a promise of justice been broken?

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