You be the judge (sentencing)

[TragicMonkey]

Wait...there actually are an infinite number of monkeys typing away somewhere?

There are an infinite number of monkeys doing something somewhere, but if you think it's typing you've never been to a zoo.

 

[3point14]

A couple of, probably quite clumsy analogies...

Can one be prosecuted for possessing, in the past, a substance that has since become illegal?

Can one be found guilty of a charge of assault but sentenced in light of the fact that one is accused but not prosecuted for a murder under similar circumstances?

I assume the answer to both should be no? but...

 

[colander]

A couple of, probably quite clumsy analogies...

Can one be prosecuted for possessing, in the past, a substance that has since become illegal?

Since the laws he was prosecuted for violating existed when he committed the crimes, this would seem to be a poor analogy.

 

[catsmate]

A couple of, probably quite clumsy analogies...

Can one be prosecuted for possessing, in the past, a substance that has since become illegal?

Generally not in common law jurisdictions. Of course gven that sexual assault was illegal when Clifford carried out the offences I fail to see any analogy

Can one be found guilty of a charge of assault but sentenced in light of the fact that one is accused but not prosecuted for a murder under similar circumstances?

Also generally no.

 

[jimbob]

In the case of the PR man, I am going to take the unusual step of saying that I think the judge got it about right. The balance between punishing a paedophile, and keeping a now-harmless old man in prison, is a fine one, in my view. Those who haven't should read the full judgement, which apart from a couple of bits of really poor English, is a real eye-opener.

Yes.

And newspaper reports described Clifford as showing contempt for the process - making "joky" threats during the case and mimicking a sky reporter on the courtroom steps.

The judge gave the harshest sentence he could and - I also think it's almost inevitable that Clifford will have got away with far more than the offences reported.

Still there is a chance of him being charged for other offenses now, and I hope they will be consecutive too.

 

[Rat]

And newspaper reports described Clifford as showing contempt for the process - making "joky" threats during the case and mimicking a sky reporter on the courtroom steps.

And what about this makes you think he wasn't taking the case seriously?

 

[applecorped]

A. Death

B. New Jersey