Friday, July 24, 2009

Taser use restriction

Campaign Against the Taser spokeswoman Marie Dyhrberg welcomed the news that operational guidelines prevented New Zealand officers from firing near accelerants.

"At least the potential for this has been considered by NZ police and we have guidelines prohibiting it," she told the NZ Herald.

Police records show Tasers have been "presented" 33 times and discharged five times up until the end of June.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The Defence of Provocation

Opinion



Provocation was used in the recent defence of Weatherston for stabbing Sophie Elliot 216 times.

There was also a recent case where "gay panic" was used as provocation successfully when a man became violent after alleged advances by a man, and killed him with extraordinary violence.

Is there a conflict between these findings? Is the defense of "provocation" being questioned due to this inconsistancy? Another question, if provocation is removed as a potential defense, since every case before the courts are defended, how would either of these cases be defended? Would it be murder vs justifiable homocide?