Those silly kiwis

[MAC]

nz mental patient mauled by tiger (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2534860a11,00.html)

The above link is worded the way US papers would have handled it but the article itself says "Report on man mauled by tiger released "

After reading the article you realise the problem is he's some sort of mental patient who ran away and climbed a 15' fence to get into the enclosure.

Anyway I think that New Zealanders shouldn't have tigers after what they did to the tasmanian tiger. Its just a hairy striped phallic symbol anyway. They think they're so superior.

I bet what the report left out was that the man was running from a kinky headed, horny gal from Dunedin. :p

[MAC]

and they are rascist too (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2534216a1823,00.html)

Hell! How do you sell $200/pair shoes with only white people on the teams?

[MAC]

now here's a real story (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2535076a10,00.html)
Fears grow of 'chequebook justice'
10 June 2003
By MARTIN KAY and NZPA

Justice Minister Phil Goff is investigating the reduced sentence of a speeding teenager who killed a four-year-old girl amid concerns that new sentencing laws have opened the door to chequebook justice.


In the High Court at Hamilton on Friday, Ding Yan Zhao had his two-year sentence for killing Georgia McCarten-Graham halved because Zhao's family had offered to give $40,000 to the girl's kindergarten. The money was originally offered to Georgia's mother, but she refused to take it and said it could go to the kindergarten.

Justice Tony Randerson reduced the sentence on the grounds that the sentencing judge failed to take "significant" account of the donation, which had to be considered against the prison term under the Sentencing Act.

A spokesman for Mr Goff said yesterday that though Mr Goff did not comment on matters before the judiciary, especially if they might be the subject of appeal, he had asked for a copy of the sentencing remarks.

"He's going to refer that to the Ministry of Justice to get their viewpoint in terms of the policy implications."

The spokesman said the referral did not indicate changes were being considered to the act, less than a year old.

"I don't think he's quite going that far."

However, the decision raised claims yesterday that the act had ushered in a system of chequebook justice, in which wealthy offenders were able to win reduced sentences by paying large sums of reparation.

NZ First law and order spokesman Ron Mark said though sentences had long been reduced for reparation, the circumstances of this case would leave many people uneasy.

Georgia died on February 20 when the car driven by Zhao, who did not have a licence, ploughed into a service station near Rangiriri where her father, Cameron Graham, had stopped. Zhao's car hit Mr Graham's car, pushing it forward and crushing Georgia against the service station wall.

Mr Mark said the prison sentence for such an offence should not be reduced because of reparation, and the decision sent the wrong message.

"There's a deep concern here that if you're of a particular ilk, you'll get off more easily.

"There's not many people in New Zealand who can front up with $40,000 cash," he said.

The reduced sentence has angered Georgia's Hawke's Bay grandparents, Rex and Sue Graham, who said the justice system had failed their granddaughter, her family and the community.

"I just can't believe you can change a court ruling with money, that you can change justice with money in New Zealand. I'm not interested in punitive sentencing, but this really does send a bad message to the boy and the community," Mrs Graham said yesterday. She had met Zhao and his parents, and though Zhao was very remorseful, there were "question marks" over reparation for the loss of a child.

"I absolutely do not think it's right that payment can halve a sentence."

Victoria University criminal law expert John Miller said reducing sentences for reparation had long been practised in New Zealand, and Zhao's case did not necessarily open new or stronger precedents.

There were at least three Court of Appeal judgments in the 1990s that reduced sentences because of reparation.
---------------------


"I just can't believe you can change a court ruling with money, that you can change justice with money in New Zealand...."

:(

plea bargaining at the very ragged edge of honesty

[SimpleSimon]

Hell, that's the norm here. Except, instead of making an open payment in reparation, you pay an exorbitant amount through your defense attorney, a portion of which finds it's way as a "donation" to the judge's re-election coffers.

[MuffyTheVampyreLayer]

Originally posted by MAC
I bet what the report left out was that the man was running from a kinky headed, horny gal from Dunedin. :p
:D
And he chose the Jaws of death over cute lil ol' me!!!

[MAC]

well, he WAS a mental patient, muffy :p

but on the topic of the reprarations

normally, once a judge passes sentance there is NO plea bargaining.

Hell we could all wait to see what we get then go back and deal again.
Thats not justice. That graft.

[MuffyTheVampyreLayer]

Originally posted by MAC
normally, once a judge passes sentance there is NO plea bargaining.

Any sentence can be appealed, by both the convicted party and the prosecutor.

What's happening here is probably (IMO) due to the changes made to our sentencing act. Last year, they tinkered with it so that anyone who gets a sentence of less than 2 years automatically gets it halved, and they also changed the wording so that it is very ambiguous whether a harsh or light sentence should be imposed....so there are going to be a few appeals while the wrinkles get ironed out.

Reparations have always been a mitigating factor, along with lots of other shit. It does seem to provide an avenue by which the wealthy can achieve a lighter sentence than the poor, but I hardly think that's new.

I think the real issue is how much weight the judge gives reparations as a mitigating factor when determining sentence. I think the appeal judge here was out of line by saying that the sentencing judge failed to give it adequate consideration as in saying that he is making a claim that reparations are more meritorious than the sentencing judge thought, and it's not up to him to make that call when the legislation dosn't specify how much weight it is to carry.

[skalie]

I once jumped the fence at Wellington Zoo, then realised that I had jumped straight into a cage.

Nothing more dangerous than an emu fortunately.

[Mudflap]

Since when is nothing more dangerous than an emu?

[MAC]

Those kiwi emu's are a bad lot.

Danger danger danger!

[Uberwonder]

I have owned a couple of emus. They can sure whack the shit out of you but are pretty cool birds.

[Billyman]

Did you take any pics?

[Uberwonder]

Unfortunately, no. That is one of my biggest regrets regarding my life and is ongoing. I never get pics of anything. It's a wonder that I have any pics of my kids at all and probably wouldn't have any of those if it wasn't for my browbeating Italian mother-in-law.
There is a digital camera sitting next to this monitor that we've had for about 6 months and I think I may have 20 pics on the other computer's HD.
There's a few disposable cameras in my drawer that have pics from last year's vacation, still not developed.

Fucking pitiful I am.

[Mudflap]

Originally posted by Uberwonder


Fucking pitiful I am.

*nods with enthusiastic agreement*

[MAC]

The only thing I regret in life is that mudflap beat me to that quote.

you can quote me on that

[skalie]

He should use it as his sig.