Man could be freed after 27 years

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 18:47

A man jailed for murdering a barmaid 27 years ago could be released from prison after DNA evidence was reviewed.



Sean Hodgson is serving a life sentence for killing Teresa De Simone, 22. She was found strangled in her car in Southampton in December 1979.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) sent the case to the Court of Appeal after DNA evidence was reviewed.



If released, Hodgson would be one of the longest-serving victims of a miscarriage of justice.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 18:49

I wonder how much compensation he'll get. I bet the Lawyers will be queueing up at the prison gates!

Quarmby


Joined: 15/09/2008
Posts: 975

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 18:55

Then a lorry driver wipes out a family of 6 on a motorway and gets 4 years?

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 19:02

This really highlights the problem with Capital Punishment doesn't it?

I'm all for 'stringing them up' for a whole raft of crimes - but only if you could be 100% sure that they were guilty.

If you hang an innocent man, in cold blood, you could be considered worse than someone who might have commited their crime in the heat of the moment, - a 'crime of passion' say...

Any thoughts on this?

Macha


Joined: 18/01/2009
Posts: 650

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 20:39

keith: "I'm all for 'stringing them up' for a whole raft of crimes - but only if you could be 100% sure that they were guilty."



Thereby hangs the conundrum. The accused person shouldn't be convicted unless the judge/jury is convinced they are guilty!

Blackpoolfan


Joined: 03/12/2008
Posts: 1568

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 20:48

An eye for an eye why bother with a judge the uk system is a joke anyway. Guilty/ not guilty dependant on DNA results save a fortune in dodgy lawyers............

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 21:55

Macha,

Yes, but the criteria is 'beyond all reasonable doubt' - not absolute certainty, so there is always a risk, even if it's infinitesimal, of hanging an innocent person.

That was the point I was trying (badly, apparently!) to make.

Keith.

kellybelly


Joined: 08/03/2009
Posts: 263

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 22:52

Best thing this guy could do is take a lie detector test.

Macha


Joined: 18/01/2009
Posts: 650

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 23:19

But how reliable are they?

spider


Joined: 03/01/2009
Posts: 5527

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 23:19

the system stinks..always has done..will never get straightend out..

some do gooders fight for justice in the system.and try to make it comfy.!!

who pays for it all....



yep..we do.!!









spider!!

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 23:28

With the advancements that have been made with DNA now, I think we could see many more innocent people being freed in the future. On the other side of the coin there are probably persons walking around now that have commited crimes and gone free that now must be very concerned.

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
11/03/2009 23:32

You don't get let out until you acknowledge you are guilty. Then you can be released on parole or licence. He refused to admit guilt so the system says you stay until you do.



Justice has nothing to do with it. Its the law! Its an ass and always will be.



And although I admit to being on the grassy knoll in Dallas when President Kennedy got shot, it was not me!



I was just pollishing the rifle the nice guy had just given me when it went off. I know it didn't go anywhere near the motor cavalcade with the President, I'm pretty sure I hit a pigeon.



Lem