Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
Posted on 11/04/2009 10:38:14 AM PST by GraceG
A judge's decision to reduce a killer's sentence because he has genetic mutations linked to violence raises a thorny question – can your genes ever absolve you of responsibility for a particular act?
In 2007, Abdelmalek Bayout admitted to stabbing and killing a man and received a sentenced of 9 years and 2 months. Last week, Nature reported that Pier Valerio Reinotti, an appeal court judge in Trieste, Italy, cut Bayout's sentence by a year after finding out he has gene variants linked to aggression. Leaving aside the question of whether this link is well enough understood to justify Reinotti's decision, should genes ever be considered a legitimate defence?
No, says Nita Farahany, a legal scholar at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, who tracks the use of behavioural genetics in the courtroom. She says genes may provide a guide as to how someone is likely to behave, but they will never tell us why they committed a specific act. "It doesn't tell us why they did the thing they did and that's what criminal cases are ultimately interested in."
(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...
"That guy? Oh, he ought to be released from prison right away! He's genetically predisposed to commit violent acts."
Where was the prosecutor?
I would have argued that his genes make him more likely to have future aggression problems, and his sentenced should be increased, possibly to life, so as to protect the rest of us.
If violence and murder are in a person’s blood, they should get DOUBLE the time, life, or even DEATH. After all, they’re incurable. No amount of therapy will cure that recidivism.
Just make him wear slacks then! Jeez!
This book, like others he has written involves hundreds of sources, all showing the steps taken with DNA by colleges (UCLA chief among them) that will not only alter what we perceive as the fundamental human right to our own bodies; but also in making 'allowances' for 'high risk' behavior. This case is not unique, if they find a gene that is associated with 'rape'; then it can be argued that the person cannot be held accountable for his actions, as he is 'hard wired' to commit this crime.
This book is a fascinating, and terrifying read. We need to change some laws, and especially the Patent laws as they pertain to DNA.
If you are genetically predisposed to murder, and cannot “help it” (i.e.; be “rehabilitated”) it seems to me that the only two alternatives are 1) tolerate continued murders from this person, or 2) remove these defective genes from the gene pool.
They’ve forgotten what everybody going back to the cavemen knows: the main reason for imprisoning dangerous people is to keep them away from the rest of us. “Rehabilitation”, “society’s sense of justice”, and the more touchy-feely reasons conjured up in the last decade or so are distant runner-ups.
Eek Officer Krupke you’ve done it again. This boy don’t need a job he needs a year in the Pen. It ain’t a case being misunderstood. Deep down inside him he’s no good!
I know of a drug combination that has been proven to cure the “violent” DNA in murderers...
Sodium Thiopental (2-5 grams per dose)
Pancuronium Bromide (100 milligrams per dose)
Potassium Chloride (As much as possible)
If anything, shouldn’t the sentence be extended?
The answer is wrong. If the prep is MORE likely to offend for ANY reason keep them in longer.
Punishment is a secondary reason to lock him up. The primary reason is to keep him from hurting anyone.
If he is genetically disposed toward violence, thats a good reason to give him the max.
Not that I believe in that; you should not be sentenced based on any such thing; you are responsible for your actions. You should be sentenced on your actions.
Exactly. This is perfectly backwards. If the genes mean he can’t help it he needs be inside forever. There is no hope of a change in genetics for him. His sentence should have been increased.
This is a great example of why we invented the term “libtards” and deploy it so frequently.
All the more reason to keep him locked up.
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