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MP Sir David Amess has been stabbed and killed

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Busaholic

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I don’t believe you can be a decent human being and not support marriage equality.

He’s either a bigot or a typical politician doing whatever to advance his career.
Can you be a decent human being and not support civil partnership equality?
 
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Cowley

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The killer of Sir David Amess MP has now been found guilty:


The Southend West MP was stabbed more than 20 times during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on 15 October 2021.
A jury at the Old Bailey took just 18 minutes to convict Ali Harbi Ali of murder and preparing acts of terrorism.
The 26-year-old from Kentish Town, north London, had denied the charges and claimed he targeted the MP over his vote for airstrikes on Syria.
 

Mcr Warrior

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Did the now-convicted offender initially plead 'not guilty' (to the charges of murder and of plotting a terror attack) at the plea hearing in December?

Really?! Why might he have been advised, or thought it a good idea, to plead in this way? :rolleyes:

(If indeed, he was so advised)?
 

Eyersey468

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Did the now-convicted offender initially plead 'not guilty' (to the charges of murder and of plotting a terror attack) at the plea hearing in December?

Really?! Why might he have been advised, or thought it a good idea, to plead in this way? :rolleyes:

(If indeed, he was so advised)?
According to the press reports he plead not guilty on religious grounds
 

ainsworth74

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Really?! Why might he have been advised, or thought it a good idea, to plead in this way? :rolleyes:

(If indeed, he was so advised)?
I'm sure he would have been advised that pleading not guilty was unlikely to be a wise course of action with the evidence against him. However if his instructions and decision to his defence solicitor/barrister were that he wished to plead not guilty then even though that defence was paper thin he is perfectly entitled to rely on that defence and his defence advocates will do their best to advance it.

The murderer has now been given a whole-life tariff* for his killing of David Amess:

IS fanatic Ali Harbi Ali has been given a whole-life sentence for murdering MP Sir David Amess.
Ali stabbed the veteran Conservative MP for Southend West more than 20 times at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex in October.
At the hearing at the Old Bailey, Judge Mr Justice Sweeney said: "This was a murder that struck at the heart of our democracy."
In a statement Sir David's family said what happened was "beyond evil".
Ali told the court he had plans to target various MPs, including cabinet minister Michael Gove.
He claimed he was motivated by a desire to seek revenge against MPs who had voted for airstrikes on Syria.
He tricked his way into a meting with Sir David, who was 69, by pretending to be an NHS worker moving to the area.

*This means that there is no minimum sentence and he will never be considered for parole. Unlike a usual life sentence where there is a minimum term after which they can be considered for release (subject to satisfying the parole board) and then once released complying with any licence conditions (failure to comply with which can lead to an immediate recall to prison).
 

61653 HTAFC

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I am glad to hear he has been given a whole life tariff.
As am I, although unless something substantial was offered in mitigation (such as an insanity/diminished responsibility defence), a whole life sentence would seem to be the "going rate" for the murder of an elected official. The same sentence handed down to Jo Cox's murderer having set a precedent.

This case (and that of Jo Cox) would be an example where it's hard to argue against the death penalty, as there was absolutely no doubt that the individual convicted was the perpetrator. The best argument against execution in this case is that it robs Ali of the martyrdom he openly admits he craved.
 

DunsBus

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The perpetrator has shown smugness throughout, from the killing to the sentencing.

I've a feeling he won't be as smug for much longer. His fellow inmates will see to that.
 

yorksrob

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Thank goodness the courts have the ability to impose whole life tariffs. They are rightly sparingly used, but they give the justice system credibility in being able to address any crime, however heinous.
 

DaveHarries

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Earlier today, it was announced in parliament that Southend is to be made a city in Sir David's honour. It was something he obviously felt very passionate about so it seems fitting.
Done in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales on 01st March 2022 (perhaps, rather aptly, St. David's Day) during a council meeting at which Sir David Amess was elected as the first freeman of the city of Southend. The proceedings, which lasted around 1¼hrs, can be found on YouTube. It is a pity Sir David was not alive to witness the occasion.

Dave
 
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