PC-Mad Liberal Softieland, India, Lets Killer Walk Free

[angrysoba]

What if this man goes on a killing frenzy now that he's been released? What's to stop him going on the rampage?

He seems quite popular with the other inmates:

As he was carried from the jail, Mr Bihari hugged fellow inmates, who placed a garland of flowers on him.

Prison officials said he received the garland with a broad smile and said: "God is great. Thank you."

BBC

What do other people think?

 

[WildCat]

"After a trial lasting more than two decades he was sentenced in 2009 but had to be frequently rushed to hospital and was mostly bed-ridden."

wtf?

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

What if this man goes on a killing frenzy now that he's been released? What's to stop him going on the rampage?

He's frail and 108 years old.

I'm not sure it's even accurate to say they let him "walk" free, since he's "mostly bed-ridden".*

I have no problem with taking into consideration the cost to the state of taking care of such prisoners weighed against the potential risk of danger of freeing them.

It seems reasonable to me.

*ETA: And "mostly bed-ridden" described him up to sentencing 2 years ago. I'd bet money he's just bed-ridden now.

 

[uk_dave]

What's to stop him going on the rampage?

"Shortly after being released he did indeed go on the rampage. One witness described the scene: 'He just snapped. It was horrible.' as his body was taken away in two ambulances."

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

"Shortly after being released he did indeed go on the rampage. One witness described the scene: 'He just snapped. It was horrible.' as his body was taken away in two ambulances."

I blame the floral garland. He just buckled under its weight.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

I don't see any harm from letting him out.

 

[Nursedan]

So they sentenced him at 106 years old but are letting him out at 108 because of humanitarian reasons? Seems odd. Maybe he was jailed during his trial though...

Wasn't the Lockerbie bomber let out on humanitarian reasons due to his impending death which has yet to occur? I doubt the victim's families are happy to see this man released. I disagree.

 

[Susheel]

A little clarification here...the Indian justice system has a whole lot of problems. For one it is so horribly backlogged and the fact that undertrials most of them without recourse to efficient legal counsel and poor and unable to post bail usually remain incarcerated while the trial is in progress. This results in situations like this. Frankly, I don't find it a problem that he was released on humanitarian grounds.

Indian courts liberal? Inefficient, corrupt, steeped in insane red tape bureaucracy, but liberal? No. Of course we do not have a revolving door to the courtyard leading to the gallows (yes we hang 'em high) and this is done in the rarest of the rare cases though the other factors tend to allow those who deserve the death sentence, but have power and wealth, to walk free.

However the country is a democracy and there have been instances where public outcry has resulted in retrials and sentencing of some cases where the accused was dubiously set free. I only hope that the justice system gets fixed enough so that justice is...well...just. I am an optimist and there are people in India who are actively engaged in trying to see that this happens. I keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Beerina]

I don't see any harm from letting him out.

Justice not being served?


Just throwin' that out there

 

[WildCat]

He's frail and 108 years old.

I'm not sure it's even accurate to say they let him "walk" free, since he's "mostly bed-ridden".*

I have no problem with taking into consideration the cost to the state of taking care of such prisoners weighed against the potential risk of danger of freeing them.

It seems reasonable to me.

*ETA: And "mostly bed-ridden" described him up to sentencing 2 years ago. I'd bet money he's just bed-ridden now.

But was he even physically involved in the killings 20 years ago? He may be frail, but isn't he still capable of inciting his relatives to do similar things once again?

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Justice not being served?


Just throwin' that out there

Only if you consider Justice to be some intangible metaphysical property, rather than a useful human game-theoretic abstraction.