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Great Britain Embarks On U.S.-Styled Reforms

By Douglas A. Berman

Looks like some interesting developments in sentencing law are underway across the pond.  Rumor has it that Harriet Harman, the Commons Leader in Great Britain, will propose striating the country's homicide laws to enable prosecutors to charge defendants with varying degrees of either murder or manslaughter.  Here is an outline of the proposed reforms: Instead of only being able to charge defendants with either murder or manslaughter, prosecuting authorities may be able to choose from a wider range of options. These would include first-degree murder, where the offender intends to kill; second-degree murder, where the offender intends to cause serious harm but causes death; and manslaughter, for cases involving negligence or the intention to cause some but not serious harm, which result in death...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on July 28, 2008 (boomark / email).