Comments on: Some Killers Are Spared

By: Hani obaid

Hani obaid — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:28:45 +0000

I was worried you were going to defend the woman. Rather you are asking for the law to be as lenient to women killing their unfaithful husbands. Why not ask for the law to be as harsh on the men instead ?

Incidentally, I’m normally against death row all together, so I think both men and women committing such a crime should get life sentences.

By: Alurduni Alhurr

Alurduni Alhurr — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:04:23 +0000

Iam totally against the death penalty ,because it only punches the poor ,weak and disadvantaged, as in this case,if the convicted is powerfull,rich and connected believe me nothing would have happened to her

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:48:22 +0000

Great post, Tololy. I agree completely. If this woman did what they say she did, taht’s a heinous crime and she needs to be punished severely for it. But the legal standards have to be the same for both men an women. It may be impossible to get society to ever view women and men the same way when it comes to infidelity, but it’s certainly possible for men and women to be treated the same way, under the law.

By: A.Rehman

A.Rehman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:31:53 +0000

Unfortunate. Exreme measure. 6 lives destroyed. One dead one to die or behind bars for life, 4 innocents children probably between 2, 9 yrs old raised without both parents if they have others to take care of them most probably as second class citizens. I think the woman was insane,abused or have deep psychological problems.How the crime was committed does not shout hardcore calculative criminal mind. Don’t see how the tribunal missed that.

For example, if it was the other way around (man having extramarital relationships) and the woman threatened to tell his family, would any of this have happened?

To answer Tololy he will tell her be my guest tell my family and no he may not kill her .The stakes are much higher in her case if it was the other way round.

By: hatem abunime

hatem abunime — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:39:53 +0000

By the way and for clarification purposes, I was commenting on the paragraph appearing below and not on the article it self.

Think about it. What would a woman who kills her husband upon catching him in an adulterous situation say in her self defense? ‘I killed him to protect my honor and my family’s honor’? The fact remains that the discrepancies between the theoretical and the practical in Jordan, both legally and socially, are so vast as to prevent justice from setting in this country.

By: Tololy

Tololy — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:11:56 +0000

T., I did read the article and I read the part about its not being an honor killing in the traditional sense. The article got me thinking of honor killings and hence this post.
For example, if it was the other way around (man having extramarital relationships) and the woman threatened to tell his family, would any of this have happened?

By: A.Rehman

A.Rehman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:16:02 +0000

A case the defence may present as precedent to rule-out pre-meditation when history is taken into account.

http://www.rediff.com/us/2000/sep/20den.htm

By: A.Rehman

A.Rehman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:50:21 +0000

A fit of rage or temporary insanity does not stand here. The man was sleeping in their own bed, not caught with another woman.Wearing gloves before using the knife rules out spontaniouity. Apparently pre-meditation is there. However, if Iam her lawyer I would look atttentuating factors like a history of spousal abuse on the husband part, a history of depression schizophrenia or mental anguish leading to clouding of judgement suffered by the woman Law argues now that constant severe abuse can tip somebody over anytime without an immediate trigger before the act. Investigation can clarify who was having the extra-marital affairs. Something here is inconsistant, why the man who already confronted his wife and threatened to expose her is sleeping like a baby in his marital bed? I will say with a good lawyer the court of Cassation will over-rule the death penality. Note this post is not touching on double standards or art.198. This about the case per se.

By: T

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:10:39 +0000

sorry, but did you all read the article properly? It seems the woman was involved in extra-marital affairs not the man.  And she murdered him so he would not make a scandal about it. So it is just plain murder nothing to do with honour, or maybe you could say she was trying to protect her name. I certainly do not believe in capital punishment so I hope she does not hang, but she certainly deserves a strong punishment for a premeditated murder. T

By: hatem abunimeh

hatem abunimeh — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:20:16 +0000

I’m not a lawyer but I think that she can say that I killed him because I was outraged, or I killed him because I lost it and I have no memory of me killing him. In the first instance it would show that she killed him in a fit of anger and not as a result of premeditation, the second instance would demonstrate that she suffered temporary insanity. Come to think of it, she may say in her defense that I killed him to protect my honor and my family’s honor but then that plea may invite too many other questions about what is and what isn’t honorable, and why execute him without giving him a chance to state his side of the story which he may be was getting raped by the lady at the time when she caught him, a very unlikely scenario but it is possible and very far fetched. When capital punishment is at stake, one has to think very hard before they make their pleas.