February 12, 2007
"Life" is cheap in Germany
Life sentences that aren't would seem to have a significant effect on continuing support for the death penalty. But many countries just can't bring themselves to lock 'em away for good, no matter what they've done and no matter how remorseless they remain:
A German court ruled that Brigitte Mohnhaupt, 57, qualifies for early release after serving a minimum proportion of her five life sentences. . .From the BBC. Some recent thoughts and figures on European opinion and the death penalty here.Mohnhaupt was convicted of involvement in nine murders. Victims included a judge, a banker and the employers' federation president. . .
Separately, another prominent Red Army prisoner, Christian Klar, is seeking early release. . .
One of the group's most prominent targets was the German industrialist Hans Martin Schleyer - who was kidnapped in September 1977 and shot six weeks later.
Speaking before the court ruling, Mr Schleyer's son Joerg said members of the group had expressed no remorse for the killing.
"I can't understand that we would take [let] them out because within the last 30 years there's nothing they said - 'OK we're sorry we murdered your father, sorry for that, we murdered policemen, sorry for that.' Absolutely no word."
The court in Stuttgart said Mohnhaupt would be released on five years probation on 27 March.
Posted by David on February 12, 2007 11:32 AM
If I was going to write a blog entry on how "some Europeans may be reconsidering their near-total abolition of the death penalty" I wouldn't link to a Cafebabel piece where the pro-death penalty spokesman and poster boy is Front National stalwart Bernard Antony. A French Fascist and anti-semite being wildly in favour of the death penalty, doesn't exactly fill me with joy.
Posted by: Flitcraft on February 12, 2007 10:40 PM
cronaca.com