Man given 5 years for murder...

[Seaton]

Just watching Sky, maybe somone in the UK has more info on this story?

The summary is, a drunken man in Newcastle punched a man in the back of the head, and the punched person died as a result of brain/head trauma or something.
The sentence was 5 years for manslaughter, which to me seems completely outrageous.

Comments? Maybe somone can provide greater insight to this story?

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well, it ain't murder. Seems about right to me, your man is an idiot, but he didn't set out to kill the other chap.

 

[Teh Mite]

Accidental killing of another person is commonly known as "manslaughter", so it sounds right to me. A drunken scrap is hardly the same as pre-idealised carrying a weapon, what little comfort that will be to the victims family.

 

[nickdnz]

Yeah, it's a tricky one. It is a little bit like Kermit Washington. It was probably just a moment of madness, but it'll probably ruin his life.

 

[shtove]

Yeah, it's a tricky one. It is a little bit like Kermit Washington. It was probably just a moment of madness, but it'll probably ruin his life.

Not as much as it ruined the other guy's life.

Punishment is very tricky. Prison is pointless and expensive. Chopping off body parts is barbaric. Paying compensation (say, to help put victim's kids through school, that kind of thing) probably can't work because the killer would just go on benefits rather than work, or skip the jurisdiction. Compensation payable through the wider family is an old idea, but that would go against the individualistic thing we have going on and the wider family is probably on benefits anyway! Or the super big family called Big Brother could pay up - count me out, except they'd hunt me down and put me in prison for refusing to contribute, and I'd end up paying taxes to keep myself in prison for refusing to make good someone else's crime. Back to square one.

I go with lashes + wider family compensation, because the pain will satisfy the sense of retribution + the women in his family will never let the guy forget how much he cost them, especially if their benefits are docked long term.