Guilty until proven innonce or innocent until prove guilty?
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Can I find out which sentence Singapore is using?
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On paper, the suspect is innocent until proven guilty. However, it is the reverse in practice.
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ok thanks...just want to find out singapore jurisidiction.Originally posted by iveco:On paper, the suspect is innocent until proven guilty. However, it is the reverse in practice. -
Any reason y?Originally posted by soloken:ok thanks...just want to find out singapore jurisidiction. -
I saw a documentary on Discovery Channel. It's about these two men who were wrongly arrested for a robbery+murder case in a bank. They narrowly escaped death sentence but served life sentence for 26 years until they were proven innocent. That was in USA. Can't believe it.
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It has always been innocent until proven guilty.
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26 YEARS is damn long!Originally posted by Honeybunz:I saw a documentary on Discovery Channel. It's about these two men who were wrongly arrested for a robbery+murder case in a bank. They narrowly escaped death sentence but served life sentence for 26 years until they were proven innocent. That was in USA. Can't believe it. -
At least they had the chance to clear their names. In Singapore, they'd probably have been hanged long before any fresh evidence clearing them came about.Originally posted by Honeybunz:I saw a documentary on Discovery Channel. It's about these two men who were wrongly arrested for a robbery+murder case in a bank. They narrowly escaped death sentence but served life sentence for 26 years until they were proven innocent. That was in USA. Can't believe it. -
The show name is called = Guilty or Innocent?Originally posted by Honeybunz:I saw a documentary on Discovery Channel. It's about these two men who were wrongly arrested for a robbery+murder case in a bank. They narrowly escaped death sentence but served life sentence for 26 years until they were proven innocent. That was in USA. Can't believe it.
got alot of other cases they show. Its nice show like a movie liddat. -
Ya I think so. Quite nice hor?Originally posted by Pitot:The show name is called = Guilty or Innocent?
got alot of other cases they show. Its nice show like a movie liddat. -
I just want to digest an article I read:Originally posted by Pitot:Any reason y?
Oct 19, 2005
Accused's instant access to lawyer could hamper police probes
SOME arrested and accused persons are denied immediate access to their lawyers to avoid compromising investigations, said Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng yesterday.
An accused person would have access to legal counsel when police were close to or had wrapped up investigations, but not during the arrest and throughout police interviews, he said.
This is especially so where the prosecution relies mainly on testimony given by witnesses, and on the accused leading them to crime scenes, accomplices and other corroborating evidence.
If the accused speaks with third parties before police wrap up investigations, it 'may result in evidence being destroyed or accomplices being alerted'.
The issue came to light recently when factory supervisor Leong Siew Chor, 50, was charged on June 18 for the murder of Chinese national Liu Hong Mei.
It was only on July 9 that his lawyer saw Leong, who was held in remand for investigations during that time.
Nominated MP Eunice Olsen, who had asked about an accused person's rights to legal counsel, pressed for details, saying: 'How does legal counsel impede or compromise the investigation process? Wouldn't a lawyer better advise a client to cooperate with the police?'
Mr Wong disagreed.
During interviews, the accused could be questioned on highly confidential or sensitive matters surrounding the alleged crime, he said.
These include facts, documentary evidence, physical evidence, witness testimonies, locations and the proceeds of crime, he explained.
Absolute confidentiality is a must. 'Otherwise there is a risk of critical evidence being destroyed or tampered with, witnesses being intimidated and proceeds of crime being removed or dissipated,' he said.
The only way to prevent leaks 'is for the defence counsel not to be present during interviews'.
It would also be difficult for the police to ensure the accused is not coached on how to answer questions.
A lawyer could use non-verbal means such as 'a hand signal, a gesture or body language' like a smile, nodding his head, shaking his hand, frowning, winking and others, explained Mr Wong.
In any case, not giving an accused person immediate access to his lawyer does not violate his rights, he said.
The Constitution says: 'Where a person is arrested, he shall be informed as soon as may be of the grounds of his arrest and shall be allowed to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.'
In interpreting this, the courts determined that this right 'is to be exercised within a reasonable time after arrest, and not immediate upon arrest', he said.
What is reasonable time depends on the circumstances of each case.
Said Mr Wong: 'We need to strike a balance between the rights of the accused person to consult counsel and the public interest in ensuring that the police are able to effectively investigate each case.' -
That is a quarter century.....any compensation for them?Originally posted by Honeybunz:I saw a documentary on Discovery Channel. It's about these two men who were wrongly arrested for a robbery+murder case in a bank. They narrowly escaped death sentence but served life sentence for 26 years until they were proven innocent. That was in USA. Can't believe it. -
One of the men actually refused to give up. He got a manual typewriter from the prison staff. He spent day and night typing letters to whichever govt dept or law firms to help him.Originally posted by vIn.Warrior:26 YEARS is damn long!
Even the prison officer pei fu his persistence. Other ppl would have given up hope and submit to fate already. -
I think they (the prison ppl etc) just threw a party to congratulate them.Originally posted by soloken:That is a quarter century.....any compensation for them? -
Watched on fox news channel, a guy got into jail for a long time for sumthing he did not do. In the end, the state paid him only US $50.Originally posted by soloken:That is a quarter century.....any compensation for them?
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The pitfalls for a judicial system operating at above optimum efficiency.Originally posted by iveco:At least they had the chance to clear their names. In Singapore, they'd probably have been hanged long before any fresh evidence clearing them came about. -
These two fellas almost got hanged. Something came out and the judge decided to reduce to life sentence.Originally posted by iveco:At least they had the chance to clear their names. In Singapore, they'd probably have been hanged long before any fresh evidence clearing them came about. -
wow pian...we are talking a man's life gone by a quarter...and 50 buck....sad...and very suai...Originally posted by Pitot:Watched on fox news channel, a guy got into jail for a long time for sumthing he did not do. In the end, the state paid him only US $50. -
I think I can conclude it is the other way round in singapore..guilty until proven innocent...like in Malaysia, China as well.Originally posted by soloken:I just want to digest an article I read:
Oct 19, 2005
Accused's instant access to lawyer could hamper police probes
Said Mr Wong: 'We need to strike a balance between the rights of the accused person to consult counsel and the public interest in ensuring that the police are able to effectively investigate each case.' -
Grey area.Originally posted by soloken:I think I can conclude it is the other way round in singapore..guilty until proven innocent...like in Malaysia, China as well.
Do you think Singapore is truly a democratic and free country? -
Why follow suit? We can have our very own political system.Originally posted by Pitot:Grey area.
Do you think Singapore is truly a democratic and free country?
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It is more of a sugar-coated right-wing despotism to me. The only place where street protests are harshly suppressed. Even in KL, we saw the Reformasi movement unfold despite heavily police presence.Originally posted by Pitot:Grey area.
Do you think Singapore is truly a democratic and free country? -
tough call after trying to digest what Mr. Wong is trying to say.Originally posted by TooFree:Why follow suit? We can have our very own political system. -
Excuses excusesOriginally posted by soloken:tough call after trying to digest what Mr. Wong is trying to say.
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You have a better conclusion?Originally posted by LazerLordz:Excuses excuses