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Article: Not all murderers should get a life sentence, says legal chief.
- Article from:
- Daily Mail (London)
- Article date:
- May 24, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: STEVE DOUGHTY
A LEGAL shake-up that will do away with the mandatory life sentence for murder is on the way, the chief of the Crown Prosecution Service said last night.
Ken Macdonald, QC, said the single offence of murder should be replaced with an Americanstyle system based on degrees of seriousness.
Mr Macdonald, who as Director of Public Prosecutions heads the CPS, said killers have been escaping justice because under the current system all murderers must be sentenced to life in prison.
Too often, prosecutors faced the ' either/ or' choice of charging a suspect with murder or the lesser charge of manslaughter.
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