Anders Behring Breivik gets 21 years in Jail - Minimum 10 years.

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You can't just declare people insane for political reasons!

That's not what I meant, I think there is a good argument for him being insane -- doing what he did with no remorse or guilt is the definition of a psychopath. He just wanted to be declared sane so that his ideals held more weight than if he were insane.

Reply 21

sucess

Original post by Miracle Day

Oh really, is that what's happening to James Holmes?

not really it depends which state

yep james holmes will probably get capital punishment because it is legal in Colorado

Reply 22

Kibalchich

Original post by MattKneale

Is it? Is everyone who kills for political reasons then a psychopath?

Reply 23

blu tack

Original post by SpicyStrawberry

He was sentenced in Norway...

Even if he may be considered for extra time for still being a danger to society years down the line, the original sentence should have been life and mean life. I can't understand why they gave him such a pathetic sentence.

Because in Norwegian law the maximum sentence is 21 years. They are gonna keep him in their for life, bickering about the procedure of it is silly.

Reply 24

zaliack

Original post by MattKneale

It just frustrates me because he wanted this exact sentence and he wanted to be declared sane. In effect they have given him a sense of affirmation in what he has done and he is proud of it. In my opinion he should have been declared insane and sentenced to life in a safe mental institution because that would be what he wanted least; for people to claim his ideals were insane. Instead his ideals have been upheld, in his eyes. I don't know if what I suggested is even legal in Norway, it's just a shame it didn't happen because it's given him exactly what he wanted.

I disagree. By declaring him insane, it is in effect saying it wasn't his fault for doing those crimes, which would be an insult to the victims families.

Reply 25

SpicyStrawberry

Original post by blu tack

Because in Norwegian law the maximum sentence is 21 years. They are gonna keep him in their for life, bickering about the procedure of it is silly.

I know the maximum sentence is 21 years, but that doesn't make it right for people like him. It works out at something like 3 months per life. It's not "silly" to comment on how pathetic it is, if nobody did nothing would change.

Reply 26

Meteorshower

Original post by MattKneale

There are specific medical signatures for psychopaths at can be measured. You can't just look at a persons actions and decide that they are a psychopath.

Reply 27

zaliack

Original post by MattKneale

Psychopathy won't get an insanity verdict because they know exactly what they are doing, they just don't care.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 28

Brachioradialis

Original post by Kibalchich

Is it? Is everyone who kills for political reasons then a psychopath?

Did I say that? Stop using crappy straw man arguments, but yes the definition for a psychopath in this sense is to commit violent acts without any remorse for what you have done.

Reply 29

Ras17

The guy who got 50 years for mega-upload is in a different boat because 1) the US operates a different judicial system and 2) we live in a society where finances and property are protected more than life.

That's why you see hackers get 40+ years jail time, and the hefty punishments handed down to the looters during the riots.

The system is setup by Governments who are far more interested in keeping financial order than people's lives, it seems.

Reply 30

notnerdylikeyou

oh had this been an muslim! we would have reinstated the death sentence in a blink of an eye! sweet mother of double standards.

Reply 31

TheHistoryStudent

I'm not sure but wasn't the maximum he could have been given according to Norwegian law 21 years? In which case he's got the maximum?

Again though, I don't really know, but it is something that I think I've heard... maybe I've got it confused with a different case...

Reply 32

sucess

Original post by notnerdylikeyou

oh had this been an muslim! we would have reinstated the death sentence in a blink of an eye! sweet mother of double standards.

or transferred to USA

Reply 33

blu tack

Original post by whyumadtho

Since you are mangoh, I'm genuinely unsure if this is a serious remark or not. :erm:

Maybe it's a comment on the supposed links between Breivik and English far right extremists. I mean I doubt it, but maybe!

Reply 34

zaliack

Original post by TenOfThem

I understand that 21 years is the maximum sentence for murder but could he not have been given 77x21

I'm guessing Norway is like Britain where they give concurrent sentences, rather than consecutive. I've always hated consecutive sentences because you can get up to 1000 years in prison for even non-fatal crimes (If Assange is extradited to the US and convicted, expect 100,000x10 years imprisonment)

Reply 35

Aoide

The 21 years is only a tecnicality, he will always pose a threat to public safety and so will be in prison for much longer. It is very possible he spend the rest of his life in prison.

Reply 36

blu tack

Original post by SpicyStrawberry

But Norwegian law already has provisions in place for people like this- the preventative detention which will mean he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Reply 37

SpicyStrawberry

Original post by blu tack

But Norwegian law already has provisions in place for people like this- the preventative detention which will mean he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
If it ain't broke, why fix it?

I just think that's a bit overly complex, but I suppose as long as they don't let him out that's not so bad. I bet many who read "21 years" in the Daily Mail without understanding their sentencing structure/reading the article properly would be quick to complain that he will be out too soon. I just feel if you want to lock someone up for life there's no need to dance around it, just say during sentencing.

Reply 38

Fires

Original post by blu tack

He will never be let out of jail. After 21 years they will review the case, find that he is still dangerous, and sentence him to a further 5 years under 'preventative detention'. They'll do that every 5 years until he is dead. It says as much in your article.

His sentence is, in effect, life.

Norway generally has a less punitive judicial system than the UK, so it is in fact possible he would be released after the minimum of 10 years, although let's hope it's very unlikely.

I worry about this sentence on a different point. If he is "sane" as the court ruled, then apparently it is "sane" to decide that because you don't like a political party, you can go out and kill its younger members. How can that possibly be viewed as sane in a sane society? Surely it sets a terrible precedent?

Reply 39

zaliack

Original post by Fires

But he's being punished for it, so it is definitely not acceptable. Alternatively, if he was declared insane, that would be saying that his actions were not his fault, which would be an insult to the victims family.