Pregnant Briton 'faces execution'

[kamui]

How many people do the drugs kill?

 

... Capital punishment' date=' I theorize, would be a huge deterrent to potential mules and recidivism would be non-existent.

 

HH[/quote']

 

Well, the USA has very harsh sentences for drug trafficking, life with no parole. It has not deterred traffickers. The USA prisons are filled with drug offenders (50% ?), but there is no shortage of drugs in the streets. In fact, drug prices are cheaper now than when The War on Drugs began.

 

Actually it is even worse:

 

Quote:

"[color:red]The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate, and total documented prison population in the world.[/color] As of year-end 2007, a record 7.2 million people were behind bars, on probation or on parole. Of the total, 2.3 million were incarcerated. More than 1 in 100 American adults were incarcerated at the start of 2008. The People's Republic of China ranks second with 1.5 million, while having four times the population, thus having only about 18% per the US incarceration rate." Link

 

And it's less safe than many Western and Asian countries. Also it costs the US taxpayers billions of USD.

 

 

[Faustian]

Ok...using YOUR logic, all alcohol and cigarette CEOs should be arrested and charged for mass murder. Their products kill way more people than drugs do every year. They are all incredibly wealthy too...

 

Alcohol related deaths UK...2007....8,724;

 

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=1091

 

Over 100,000 die each year due to smoking;

 

(lots of links, 1 random) http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hugh_Hoy]

How many people do the drugs kill?

 

... Capital punishment' date=' I theorize, would be a huge deterrent to potential mules and recidivism would be non-existent.

 

HH[/quote']

 

Well, the USA has very harsh sentences for drug trafficking, life with no parole. It has not deterred traffickers. The USA prisons are filled with drug offenders (50% ?), but there is no shortage of drugs in the streets. In fact, drug prices are cheaper now than when The War on Drugs began.

 

You're off-track here, my friend. I was theorizing about CAPITAL PUNISHMENT (not subjective "harsh" prison sentences or "lifers"). The fact that there are so many in prison for drug offenses may belie the "harshness" of those sentences, no? BTW, very few in terms of percentage of the total are in prison for "life" for drug offenses.

 

HH

 

[Flashermac]

It is also a reflection of the sad fact that in federal courts - in contrast to state and local courts - the defender essentially has to prove his innocence, instead of the prosecution proving him guilty. I know a respected state judge who shakes his head at the federal court proceedings, saying they do things he could never get away with.

 

 

[Hugh_Hoy]

Those here who are atheists have never been in front of a Federal judge. 5555555555555 Those guys can make believers out of both prosecuters, defendants and defense attorneys.

 

I tell ya, OJ's "Dream Team" would've been cut off at the knees in a Federal Court. Jing jing. Trial might have lasted 3 weeks (max).

 

HH

[Flashermac]

A British woman accused of smuggling heroin in Laos will not face the death penalty if convicted because the country's law bans executing pregnant prisoners.

 

The trial of Samantha Orobator, 20, from south London, will not be held until next week so that an "appropriate lawyer" can be found to defend her, said Khenthong Nuanthasing of the Lao Foreign Ministry.

 

Orobator was arrested in August last year and charged with trying to smuggle 1.5lbs of heroin in her luggage - anyone caught with more than 1.1lbs normally faces a mandatory death penalty.

 

The Foreign Office said the vice-consul from Bangkok had been allowed into Phonthong prison to speak to Orobator who is expected to face trial this week.

 

But lawyer Anna Morris, who has flown to the south-east Asian country on behalf of the legal rights charity Reprieve, said she was refused access although she had arranged to meet the Briton.

 

...

 

 

 

Link

[rchapstick]

Those here who are atheists have never been in front of a Federal judge. 5555555555555 Those guys can make believers out of both prosecuters, defendants and defense attorneys.

 

Spoken like someone who has never been in Federal court HH.

 

I have (twice, but not on charges :grin: ), and I am an atheist, and federal judges can be all over the map. They are political appointees and some were clearly not appointed for their judicial prowess.

 

[Hugh_Hoy]

Um.....I guess I didn't make my point well enough for those who have been in a Federal courtroom two times or less. More specifically, Federal judges are about the closest thing to a God that you'll find in the U.S. Appointed for life, in their courtrooms, they rule with an iron hand. Generally, they don't put up with a bunch of B.S. (compared to State judges). And, yes, they are political appointees. If you want some "reading for entertainment", try to find an old copy of "The Bench Warmers". Interesting and funny collection on Federal judges. Yes..."all over the map", though the 9th Circuit serves our Western states poorly IMO. But that's another thread.

 

HH

 

 

[bust]

I hear she has been spared the death penalty

[Bangkoktraveler]

Um.....I guess I didn't make my point well enough for those who have been in a Federal courtroom two times or less. More specifically, Federal judges are about the closest thing to a God that you'll find in the U.S. Appointed for life, in their courtrooms, they rule with an iron hand. Generally, they don't put up with a bunch of B.S. (compared to State judges). And, yes, they are political appointees. If you want some "reading for entertainment", try to find an old copy of "The Bench Warmers". Interesting and funny collection on Federal judges. Yes..."all over the map", though the 9th Circuit serves our Western states poorly IMO. But that's another thread.

 

HH

 

 

 

If you got in southern Arizona with a ton of pot, the Federal court might sentence you to 2 - 5 years. If you get caught in some USA cities with a pound of pot, you might get 2 - 5 years. I would think Federal judges might wear lace panties at times.