Showing posts with label Elements of Crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elements of Crime. Show all posts

March 4, 2015

Harvard Law School Students Discuss Benefits of Discussing Rape in Class




When asked about stopping police abuses, one modern lawyer said, "What if they do that to me?" Is one reason why false rape accusations are discussed more than false accusations of other crimes because of the notion of mens rea?

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/3/4/law-students-rape-law/

Law Students Discuss Treatment of Rape Law in Criminal Law Courses
By ANDREW M. DUEHREN ,
Harvard CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
February 4, 2015

July 5, 2014

Psychiatric Court Chaos


Posted November 23, 2007 4:42 AM ET; Last updated July 5, 2014 3:27 AM ET


http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/08/john_l_ecker_of_indian_orchard.html

Springfield Police: Indian Orchard man, arrested for stalking teen girl, has house burglarized while in custody

By Dave Canton dcanton (at) repub.com
on August 30, 2013 at 1:59 PM, updated August 30, 2013 at 3:24 PM

* * *

The courts cannot distinguish between crime and disability. (Laurel J. Sweet, "Mentally ill alleged serial stalker could be released," Boston HeraldNovember 21, 2007) Psychiatrists do not know disability law or Constitutional Rights. Criminal defense lawyers are clueless about disability laws. Civil commitment lawyers know little criminal law. No lawyers litigate civil rights
laws protecting persons with disabilities. Court rules and civil commitment laws were written for the benefit of the psychiatric industry and the drug companies. Psychiatry is arbitrary and based
upon personal opinions masquerading as science. The courts and psychiatry are vehicles for profits which conflict with the Constitution and public safety. This will only get worse until some legislature is able to rise above campaign contributions. Until then neither the rights of the accused nor the public will be safe. Suggesting as this story does that mental illness causes crime is irrational and misguided, demonizing all persons with disabilities.

[From article]

A paranoid-schizophrenic Wilbraham man accused of a “20-year-plus history” of
stalking women from behind bars will be back roaming the streets if a better
plan isn’t hatched for his return to society, a federal judge warned the U.S.
Attorney’s Office yesterday.
Problem is, John Leonard Ecker’s behavior toward women he imagines are in love
with him - including prison employees - is considered so dangerous that the
state Department of Mental Health has refused to have anything to do with him,
federal prosecutor Mary Elizabeth Carmody told U.S. District Court Judge
Nathaniel M. Gorton.


http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2007/11/mentally_ill_alleged_serial_stalker_could_be_released

Mentally ill alleged serial stalker could be released
DMH refuse to take on danger
By Laurel J. Sweet
Boston Herald
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - Added 7h ago

November 23, 2007

Causes of Crime


If this man is guilty of a crime sobeit. But trying to connect a history of
mental illness to crime is irrational and slurs all persons accused of mental
illness. ("Ex-psych patient pleads not guilty in Uma stalking," Boston Herald
wire services, November 17, 2007) Journalists and police need to learn how to
distinguish between crime and disability.

[URL missing]

Ex-psych patient pleads not guilty in Uma stalking
By Boston Herald wire services
Saturday, November 17, 2007

November 14, 2007

Mocking Fantasy


A psychiatrist and a journalist say, "The priest appears to be mentally ill - a condition that could afflict any one of us. Your reporting seems exploitive." (Eileen Reilly and Edward Downes, "An illness mocked," Letter, Boston Herald, November 14, 2007) Mental illness is so arbitrary that anyone and everyone "appears to be mentally ill," except for psychiatrists and journalists.
Ahem! The court found (with taxpayer funds) Rev. Ajemian competent to stand trial. He understands what a court is, what he is doing in court, what a lawyer is and is able to cooperate with the lawyer. Do the letter writers think that because he is not mentally ill, or because he is mentally ill he should be excused from the criminal charge? Journalists and psychiatrists need to separate crime from mental illness. Crimes are rationally defined. Mental illnesses are a made up by consensus that varies based upon personal opinions. When it comes to exploiting persons with disabilities no one surpasses what psychiatrists do to those they accuse of mental illness. What was not asked is "What is the causal connection between mental illness and crime?" There is none, except for the minds of journalists, psychiatrists and their acolytes.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/letters/view.bg?articleid=1044527

An illness mocked
By Eileen Reilly and Edward Downes
Boston Herald
Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Letters to the Editor

We are concerned about your recent articles on Rev. David Ajemian (“Father Fruitcake,” Nov. 9). We do not personally know Father Ajemian, but question your decision to give front-page coverage to his story.

The priest appears to be mentally ill - a condition that could afflict any one of us. Your reporting seems exploitive.

Eileen Reilly, Psychiatrist Mass. Mental Health Center
Edward Downes, Associate Professor BU College of Communication

October 6, 2007

Intent Required for Crime


CYA is so pervasive at Universities that a student has a better understanding of events than university administrators. (Anna Badkhen, "Student causes scare at Logan with shirt 'art,'" Boston Globe, September 22, 2007) The MIT spokesman called the wearing of a circuit board reckless. A student noted it was due to lack of common sense. Criminal intent is necessary for criminal liability. The MIT student had none. Having no street sense is not a crime. In this day of government paranoia it is no wonder we have the highest incarceration rate in the world. Have the terrorists won? They diminished our freedoms knowing the mentality of the government leaders who lack self knowledge. The President of Iran knows the politics of America better than most Americans.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/09/22/student_causes_scare_at_logan_with_shirt_art/

Student causes scare at Logan with shirt 'art'
Device mistaken for bomb
By Anna Badkhen,
Boston Globe Correspondent
September 22, 2007