29 June 2011

Plea bargaining in Canberra?

| Mental Health Worker
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Nice to see the further Americanisation of the criminal justice system, with plea bargaining now an unapologetic part of it as reported in the Canberra Times.

ABC radio news reported that a weapon (an iron bar I think) was recovered from the property with blood on it, but no assault conviction. Nice work DPP. The victim must be proud of you.

MHW

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We can dispense with “plea bargaining” the day that the DPP stops loading up the charge sheets with every far-fetched bit of nonsense it can think of. I blame the whole notion of an “adversarial” system. The very fact that what counsel you have can change the outcome of a trial means that the system does not work.

futto said :

Even if they are guilty when convicted, everyone has the right to a speedy trial. The punishment should begin AFTER a trial and conviction, not before. I know people get bail but sometimes they don’t.

There is no reason why we shouldn’t try and speed up this process. The current system is whacked.

You really have no idea of who you are talking about, do you.

Even if they are guilty when convicted, everyone has the right to a speedy trial. The punishment should begin AFTER a trial and conviction, not before. I know people get bail but sometimes they don’t.

There is no reason why we shouldn’t try and speed up this process. The current system is whacked.

futto “Pathetic and disappointing example of justice delayed from all parties involved as well.”

Really, yet the protagonists have been removed from society for two years. I’m not sure you appreciate what has been achieved.

“The man’s alleged ordeal came to an end shortly before 7am the next morning after Ngata released him to the care of police, who had been laying siege to the home since 5.30.”

Why did they need to accept the deal and drop the more serious charges? It appears that they caught them in the act!

The best bit is that it has taken TWO years to get to trial. Pathetic and disappointing example of justice delayed from all parties involved as well.

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