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The Perfect Crime
Social Science Research Network ^ | Spring, 2005 | BRIAN C. KALT

Posted on 04/05/2005 2:46:25 PM PDT by BCrago66

This article argues that there is a 50-square-mile swath of Idaho in which one can commit felonies with impunity. This is because of the intersection of a poorly drafted statute with a clear but neglected constitutional provision: the Sixth Amendment's Vicinage Clause. Although lesser criminal charges and civil liability still loom, the remaining possibility of criminals going free over a needless technical failure by Congress is difficult to stomach. No criminal defendant has ever broached the subject, let alone faced the numerous (though unconvincing) counterarguments. This shows that vicinage is not taken seriously by lawyers or judges. Still, Congress should close the Idaho loophole, not pretend it does not exist.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: perfectcrime; schiavo
This law review article is serious yet funny and fascinating (at least to me) at the same time. The URL above takes you to the article abstract, below which is a link to a PDF file of the entire article.
1 posted on 04/05/2005 2:46:25 PM PDT by BCrago66
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To: BCrago66

So there does exist a place in the USA where killing people who desperately need killing is not prosecutable.

Sending invitations to liberals....now!


2 posted on 04/05/2005 2:58:13 PM PDT by PeterFinn (The Holocaust was perfectly legal.)
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To: PeterFinn

It comes down to the fact that no one lives in a certain part of Yellowstine Park, from which the Constitution would require a jury to be empaneled to try felony cases. So one answer to the problem would be for a few dozen people to move down there, but the park rangers and maybe some bears might have a problem with that.


3 posted on 04/05/2005 3:02:26 PM PDT by BCrago66
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To: PeterFinn

Sounds like Michael Schiavo, Scott Peterson, and O.J. Simpson should have moved their families to Idaho. Maybe Vince Foster should hvae turned up in a park in Idaho.

Isn't that where Mark Fuhrman moved to?


4 posted on 04/05/2005 3:06:49 PM PDT by TBP
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To: BCrago66

Already posted here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1373304/posts


5 posted on 04/05/2005 3:15:57 PM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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