Lifers to get 30 year tariffs
(CNS): The government has finally addressed the problem of mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for murder, which contravenes the Bill of Rights, and set a starting point tariff of 30 years for those given a life sentence. Judges will now have the discretion to impose a higher tariff for aggravating factors or lower in certain circumstances but all lifers will be given a set period of time to be served before they can be considered for release under supervision. The Conditional Release Law, which also deals with a new more controlled release regime under supervision for all her offenders, was passed in the Legislative Assembly on Friday evening with mixed support.
Not all MLAs support the tariff but accepted that, given pressure from the UK and the Bill of Rights, the Cayman government had to act and address the issue. The debate about introducing a tariff system has been a long one, and despite opposition from at least one of its own backbenchers as well as some from the opposition benches, the government has finally addressed the problem that was about to see the government challenged in the courts.
Speaking about the law, which will completely change how all prisoners serve their sentences and how they are treated when released, the premier confirmed that over the next two years all of the people currently serving life sentences will have their cases reviewed by the Grand Court and all of the lifers in HMP Northward will be given tariffs, which will be revealed in open court.
See the new bill below and check back to CNS later for more from the debate in the LA.
Category: Crime
I can't believe that we've come to this in the Cayman Islands. They've using the Bill of Rights act just to drop the Life sentences to 30 years???? What happen to the victims families? What justice do they get? Don't they have rights too? This is total rubbish… I'm so ashamed to call myself Caymanian today. This Government is making a laughing stock of our islands.
12:27, can you read? All that has happended is that they have amended the law so that YOU MUST SERVE 30YRS AT WHICH TIME THE PAROLE BOARD CAN EITHER ALLOW YOU TO BE PAROLED ON LICENSE OR TELL YOU THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ROT IN PRISON.
If given a life sentence now, it entails you serving 30yrs – Life. Get it?
We are lucky we are not following the UK where a life sentence for murder can get you 12yrs and you are out in 8.
What aabout those two murderers of Estella Scott – I hope after their 30 years they will be deported swiftly.
Texas is looking a lot better to go and reside there. At least law abiding citizens have more rights than the criminals.
Yes, they have the right to be shot by family members at a much higher rate per capita.
This is fundamentally not fair. Period. My child is murdered and one day I'm going to buck up the killer in the supermarket?
Great jo PPM and Alden…not!!
Bunch of losers..this is the best they can do??…first the TLEPs ,now the Murderers..What's next???
What next ! Are you scard of the murder that murdered your child ? Would you be scard when confronted by a known murder ? Would you be scard when you are told to do everythng i say to do , I see all the above comeing .
07:52, what are you smoking?
No, but I might be SCARED.
sigh.
Buh
This is good news. Now citizens will have a second chance also. 🙂
First there's this consideration: if you don't want to serve 30 years, don't do the crime.
Second: I haven't seen the threat of hanging or life in prison stop other murders from happening.
Third, good people do bad things. We all have. Does this mean you should never have another chance at life because you committed a wrong?
Fourth, as a Christian I know that one – not a thousand or one of a certain category only – will keep me out of Heaven. Is it fair that others should get a chance at rehabilitation and I don't because I've committed a murder that might have been the only act of self preservation that I saw in the moment? Not that murder is right, don't get me wrong here, but my life is as valuable to me as yours is to you. If I perceive that I have to protect mine from you, should I not take what measures are necessary to preserve my life? Or, should I wait and hope and pray that your bullet doesn't kill me? I know that my God can do that, but does others have the same belief? So does child molesters who repeat their acts against children and women in particular have greater rights than I have?
What about when women kill the molesters who are raping their children (whom I have read commentators on other posts advocate for)? Do we toss them in prison and never let them back out either to the other children they have and loved to the point of someone else's death?
I know that taking a life is the greatest irreversible act and one which I do NOT advocate, condone or support. It is WRONG. But we've all done wrongs and many of us are fortunate to have been able to cover it up.
I ask these questions because I've seen statements on other posts where people have advocated openly for the death of people resulting from heinous crimes. I don't understand how we can, as a society, call for murder (something we absolutely disdain) but say that murderers shouldn't get a second chance?
Most people say that drug addicts are the best people they know; they just have a bad problem. So are alot of people in jail.
Alot of people wouldn't be in jail if they had the right opportunities from the beginning.
I know that we cannot downplay the act of murder and that's not what I"m getting around at. I'm trying to ask why this country is so against forgiveness and rehabilitation, but yet professes to be a Christian country?
11:32, your 4th point is known as self-defense, not murder.
And your point that alot of people would not be in jail if they had the "right opportunities" is ludicrous, people end up in jail by their own actions, no one elses. Many people have the "right opportunities" in life and choose to do wrong.
Thanks for trying to correct me, but please allow me to offer you a new outlook (inlook is impossible for many on this forum):
I didn’t say that the murder was committed in the moment of defending ones’ self, but carefully noted that it was the only act of self-preservation.
Please think about those two last words and offer back to me any scenarios that come to mind, besides self-defense in the moment.
As far as your view of lack of opportunities, I like you have screwed up on opportunities that were presented; imagine those who have never seen the opportunities we have. But since you’re convinced that isn’t a cause, take a look around at the different environments you’ve lived in and honestly say that there’s not ONE person who hasn’t had a fair break at life and I’ll move to that neighbourhood,
Each of you need to stop your hypocritical hatred.
human rights is happening throughout the world like it or lump it. cayman unfortunately has to accept it. its not the governments doing or anyone else you care to blame yet again. giving lifers a sentence of 30 yrs is no doubt part of the human rights law somewhere. however please be reminded that these guys doing life who are in their late 20s to 30s will be 60 when they are released. hardly going to wellies. and night clubbing and doing drive bys right? please try and think before you type foolishness about looking after criminal friends and releasing them to commit further crimes. god give me strength. and no my son is not in jail. rass
And are they now going to find a way to give the victims of these murderers a second chance at life as well!
I think that this is a reasonable starting tarrif. In many other countries the minimum jail time frame for murder is lower.
Kudos to the government for having dealt with this.
It is impossible to please everyone but under the circumstances as a Br. Overseas Territory, it was the best option and needed to be done.
How can you say "its impossible to please everyone"? XXXX Murderers should get life, plain and simple. They took someone's life!!! They have no right to be given a second chance. I am sure if it was someone who you loved they killed you would think differently!!! Cayman is no longer safe can you imagine adding this to the equation???
[Cayman]?? No where in this world is safe!
No, Donnie understands the issues and you don't. The issue is that the UK have been pushing us to introduce tariffs for a number of years in order to satisfy human rights concerns. The alternative was for the govt. to do nothing and (a) have the UK impose tariffs upon at a much lower level, e.g. 15 years (as opposed to 30), and (b) be faced with human rights lawsuits by prisoners. You need to be guided by reasoning not emotion.
"Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man." Genesis 9:6
These namby-pamby sentences for murderers provide no deterrent because the murderer having taken away the victim's most precious asset, is in no fear of losing his/her own.
If this nugget of wisdom from the Word of God was genuinely and forcefully implemented, these violent crimes would cease overnight.
Before you jump on your high horse and start spouting off about human rights, was that victim your family member? Probably not.
Forgiveness is good and so is mercy, but when evil rears its wicked head, it must be eradicated as soon as possible for there are dark forces behind it.
Jail “time” is about a third shorter.
30 year tariffs means theyre eligible for parole in a few as 15- unless it stated in law as a “Minimum”
10:15, Its 30yrs served before parole is considered, that means they serve 30yrs, then go in front of the parole board.
This is a continuing and world wide trend where the criminals have more rights than the victim. Whereas a normal, LAW ABIDING person should be guaranteed a set of rights to enjoy his life, once you decide to place yourself above those rights (like denying another person their right to live), you should not be guaranteed the safety of the same rights.
I am not talking about the accidental death of another person, I am looking at the planned, wilfull and sometimes gruesome murders that take place – killingfor pleasure, gang related, death during the comission of a crime, etc.
But in the world today, lawyers (or their derivitives giving politicians guidance) make the laws, then try to defend the criminal by them.
Guess no one is interested in the rights of the victim as he cannot pay for a laywre to fight his case.
Lifers should be allowed to go free as soon as their victims feel to unlock their jail doors
So proud of my Government. They are making all the tough decisions that previous Governments were afraid to make. Either the Government does this or the court will and trust me if that happened it would not have been 30 years. Much lower.
Sush, his was pending during the PZpm ( no pun intended) last Administration but they did nothing with it, only now. If they are truthful they will tell you so. Let them deny it.
So thats what Government has been working on the last 2 years? At least they got something done. For the criminals in their life.
The Government has not been in office 2 years since they were elected in May 2013. Smart move by the Govt. It was either that or the UK would do it for them with a much lower tariff.
The UK sentencing guidelines are actually quite similar, 30 years is a standard starting tariff for pre-meditated murder. A "whole of natural life" tariff is the starting point for murders that include "aggravating factors", such as torture or abduction, sexual or racist motives, the murder of a child, the murder of more than one person, murder for profit or gain etc, etc.
Once released, you are on license for the rest of your life and can be put returned to prison, without trial, if you commit another offence.
I just want persons who commit heinous murders to never be released. To do otherwise denies the value of human life, surely?
MLA's particularly those dissenting,grow up you want to be called abusers of Human arights?
Another fine example of human wrongs! So in a crime infested place like cayman I must sleep better at night knowing that I can be raped then murdered? And top it off, with a good lawyer the bastard can get only 30 years!
Whomever came up with these rules same to believe that humans have evolved to a much more superior being, than we actually are.
Post 18:35 24/10/2014 – You should get all thumbs up, not understanding what idiots are giving this post thumbs down??? Oh yea probably the familys of the persons getting out when they were sentenced to life!!!! How do you allow a person who committed murder, cold blooded murder, then allow them to walk the street later on in life????? What about the human rights to the victim and their families??? There is no justice in this!!!!
No, I have a hugh problem with referring to Cayman as "crime infested". Get a perspective please.
That is better than what it is now and…..they probably won't even get the 30 years….that means it just looks good on paper.
If he has already murdered you then you will no longer be caring what happens to him, you will be dead, and hopefully have better things to do with your soul. And if someone you love is murdered, just return the favor if you think 30 years is lenient and then take the 30 years yourself