fandomhigh | Forensics (5th Period)

"Good afternoon, everyone. Please take your seats and have a look at the handouts I'm passing around."

As a general rule, any death due to injuries received in a fight, argument, quarrel, assault, or commission of a crime is counted as a Homicide.

Suicides, accidental deaths, assaults to murder, traffic fatalities, and attempted murders are not classified as murder; however, some accidental deaths are counted as a manslaughter by negligence.

Situations where a victim dies of a heart attack as the result of a robbery or witnessing a crime do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the criminal homicide classification. A heart attack cannot, in fact, be caused at will by an offender. Even in instances where an individual is known to have a weak heart, there is no assurance whatever that an offender can cause sufficient emotional or physical stress to guarantee the victim will suffer a fatal heart attack.

Certain willful killings are classified as justifiable or excusable. Justifiable homicide is defined as and limited to:

* the killing of a felon by a peace officer in the line of duty, or
* the killing (during the commission of a felony) of a felon by a private citizen.

Discussion: Do you think the definition of justifiable homicide is too restricted? Should revenge or retribution be permitted for atrocities committed?

Homework: Look up a recent murder trial and give me a brief synopsis.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...

Lana signs in.

Phoebe signs in and sits next to Lana.

Maia came in and sat next to both of them. "Hi." She said to Phoebe and Lana as she started to pull her notebook out.

Lana smiles at both of them.

Maia signs in

Connor and Murphy both sign in before taking their seats.

Macbeth signs in and takes a seat near the back of the class where his shifty eyes ~~and cold sweat~~ will not be noticable.

I don't think revenge or retribution should be considered acceptable or permissible. Two wrongs don't make a right.

"I agree with Lana. It seems that revenge of that sort doesn't teach the offender anything about what they did wrong."

Phoebe does not say that she's all for the beating the hell out of certain guys for hitting certain friends of hers.

Lana doesn't say that she would definitely agree with Phoebe on that point. After all the question was about homicide - not assault.

Maia looks thoughtful for a moment before answering the question.

"I think that the idea of retribution or revenge in a justifiable homicide case would have to only be allowed in extreme instances. I agree with Lana that two wrongs don't make a right but who says how wrong it is? I mean..." Maia paused unsure of how to proceed with what she is saying "What if the person who commits the homicide is a victim just as much as the person who they just murdered?"

"Victim in what way? And how is their victimization related to the murder? I can certainly see that someone may have been so victimized that they may not understand that what they've done is wrong or that they simply don't care, but I don't think that would make their actions any more correct. Every example I can think of where a victim would be 'justified' would fall into the category of a citizen killing someone during the commission of a felony - say someone was attacking them or someone else."

"For instance a victim of years of abuse, Domestic or otherwise. Well what if the person was not being attacked at the moment they kill them, but had been a victim for years of that person's violent behavior? Would it only be justified if the person was being violent at the time they killed them?." Maia looked thoughtful now "I think it should be taken on a case to case basis and not bunched together under an umbrella term maybe..." Maia looked deep in thought as she was contemplating all of this.

"That's one I definitely go back and forth on. Long term abuse does terrible things to a person in many, many ways, and yeah, if they thought the person was going to hurt them again I can see where they might kill them before the hurting actually happened that time.

On the other hand... there are so many other ways and options to get help or to get out. And I understand the whole psychology of someone who's being abused not feeling there's another way out, but still... I still don't know that I think it's justified homicide to kill someone in cold blood."

"Oh gosh no, not in cold blood." Maia shook her head. "Things I've see- no never in cold blood." Maia interupted herself to agree with Lana.

As the discussion raged on, Macbeth had the nagging feeling that he had signed up for the wrong class.

Even so, he finally spoke up.

"~~When~~ Where I come from, revenge is not only acceptable, but expected. If someone kills another person in cold blood, you can bet that someone else will be hunting him down to have him taste cold steel. An eye for an eye might make the whole world blind, but at least ye can know that the murderer isn't still capable of murdering."
He fidgeted a little, not about to offer the fact that he was the murderer, here.

Macbeth approached Sara after class, somewhat fidgety even after the discussion was over.

"Excuse me, but... about the homework?" He took a deep breath before continuing. "I am rather... new to this century. Where might I begin lookin for a recent murder case?"

"You can try in the library and ask one of the assistants to help you."

Forensics (5th Period)

Attendence

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Discussion

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After Class

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