[Discussion] Murder Law

A long while ago, my life was threatened. I was told that not only was I going to be killed, but also my murderer would not be punished. When I inquired as to how exactly this person was going to get around being punished, the response was, "It isn't illegal." Simple. I said I would make a law making it illegal, and the response was that if I did that I would be killed sooner. So I was scared, and I let this prevent me from acting. Cowardly? Maybe. I feel safer now, so I cannot let my fear inhibit me any longer. On top of that, every day that goes by is another day when one of our citizens could be murdered. We cannot delay any longer. There have been very high profile murders (assassinations) in the very recent past, and I fear that there may be copycats soon to follow.

It amazes me that there is no law against murder already in our Legal Corpus. It seems that the most inalienable right is the right to live, but the fact remains that such a law is conspicuously absent from our book.

Does everyone agree that we need to have a law against murder? I will be drafting the wording of a law and present it for further discussion in the near future.

Aye. Good thinking Rebo.

Thorpe

Feel free to proceed on this and work on an article about Prosecution for Murder in Somerset.
I will support your on this and you will have my personal vote.

yeah we definitely need a law agaisnt murder, i'm suprised that we don't

However, is there an actual way of killing a person with the current in game mechanics?

Thorpe

It wouldn't hurt to have a law against murder however it may be hard to prove. We have never really needed it before because there were only rare occasions that anyone was actually killed.
In addition since we have the resusitation option would it really be murder if you know the character can come back to life.
We would have to have a law against injury, attack, or maybe even just killing someone no matter the circumstances.

Little rant. I think it asinine that we allow lawyers this much power in this game. There is no law against MURDER? It is Jah's law, it is common sense, it is a common law. It should not have to be in the legal corpus. But that said yes create one and I will vote for it.

I think this is a great idea & should be implemented ASAP.

Righto, so I have been fuddling with he wording of the law, trying to mold it after the wording of our current laws (which I find a bit confusing), trying to make it simple, and trying to avoid the certain loop holes. And, well, I have been remarkably unsuccessful. So instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, lets start this by looking at how other counties do it. I have worded this based on Worcester and Wilthshire's law, while trying to keep the spirit of Somerset's laws:

Quote :

Art. 2.2.4. : Whoever kills, or attempts to kill, another person, shall be convicted of a serious crime. Whoever wounds or kills another person in the defense against an immediate and unlawful attack, is not punishable.

This is a serious crime and its punishment is outlined in Art. 2.1.3.

Please discuss and feel free to suggest changes.

Seeing as this is the land of Lawyers, do we define an immediate and unlawful attack anywhere?

Gregarious wrote:

Seeing as this is the land of Lawyers, do we define an immediate and unlawful attack anywhere?

No, we don't. Shall we?

I think it may be prudent to prevent possible appeals.

I was thinking that officially declared war time and self defense would be two exceptions.

Yes the troops need to be protected when performing their duties as well as the Marshals.

Again, keeping in the spirit of the Somerset-style verbiage, here is a possible amendment:

Quote :

Art. 2.2.4. : Whoever kills, or attempts to kill, another person, shall be convicted of the serious crime of murder.

Exceptions to this law will be made for soldiers, town militia, Marshals, Chief Marshals, and citizens acting in service to the County when the County is officially at war or in defense of the County or its residents in the case of a criminal act.

This is a serious crime and its punishment is outlined in Art. 2.1.3.

Thank you Councilor Aeryn, for the suggested language.

Does anyone else have any suggestions or criticisms of the above verbiage?

It looks good to me Rebo.

I just have only an idea that we will maybe face in the future to our courts something like this.

Well ,since it is medieval, and honor of a person is a high issue, maybe we wil deal with duels in a nod between 2 citizens for a personal matter.

Maybe we have to add something about it and legalise this with a document of participation from both sides, then duels are legal as an action to our COURT OF LAW.

Remember again, it is Medieval and we need some good RPs

Quote :

Art. 2.2.4. : Whoever kills, or attempts to kill, another person, shall be convicted of the serious crime of murder.

Exceptions to this law will be made for soldiers, town militia, Marshals, Chief Marshals, and citizens acting in service to the County when the County is officially at war or in defense of the County or its residents in the case of a criminal act. Similarly, exemptions can be made for scheduled events, such as duels, if both parties contact the Judge prior to the date of the event.

This is a serious crime and its punishment is outlined in Art. 2.1.3.

How does that look? Necessary or not? Need rewording? Oh, and Your Grace, it is the Renaissance, the Dark Ages are behind us!

Well, technically, the dark ages are now, irl, in my opinion.

But seriously, guys, it looks great...(can we vote now?)

I think we have passed the necessary two day discussion period. Rebo checks his calendar. I was waiting a little bit to see if there were any comments on the newest amendment.

For Somerset,
Rebo

More than great, even personal duels of that time is well covered.
We can proceed for voting whenever you wish.

Ohh rebo, now i saw it, well, hmm, with such an activity this period ingame, sorry, but it looks like this, away from Renaissance of fine artists and architects.
Still armies have the last word as I see it

Seeing no further discussion, I move this motion to be voted on.
[url]
https://somerset.rpg-board.net/the-public-council-room-f42/poll-murder-law-t1112.htm#18384[/url]

May justice rain in Somerset.
Rebo