On Revenge and the Justice System

Psyga315

This is something that I just thought of right now.

In most works with a justice system, like a show in real life where going to the cops is a valid option, how come people in those films go "Don't kill him! Turn him in to the authorities!" when, for the most part (well, depending on if the state supports the Death Penalty), the authorities are just gonna do the killing for them? I know it's a weird thing to think about, but I just thought of this now and this fridge logic I feel could make discussion.

glennmagusharvey

Well, the usual reason this happens in real life is that it feels more civilized and fairer, as opposed to simply letting vigilante justice happen  which might have a higher chance of making a mistake and killing an innocent person.

Bee

Because due process of law is kiiiind of an important thing, and making a habit of waiving them is legally really, really dangerous and abusable?  Prisoners have rights too, because there's no easy legal way to discern between the ones who are "obviously" guilty and everyone else.

If the suspect is violent enough that apprehension is mortally hazardous, then yeah, put him on the ground first and in cuffs afterward if he survives.  But I mean, shit, we're in the middle of a huge real-life controversy where cops nationwide haven't been nearly careful enough about that and regularly raid and/or kill complete innocents.  The last thing we want to do is start rationalizing even more violence as acceptable.

glennmagusharvey

Actually, it's more like there's no easy way, legal OR illegal, to discern between guilt and innocence.

If there were, people would have already used them.

fourteenwings

how come people in those films go "Don't kill him! Turn him in to the authorities!"

Well then instead of the person who actually committed crimes being on trial, protag (or whoever) will be put on trial and the case is usually set up in a way where a self-defense... defense (ie causing immediate harm to protag and or someone else*) isn't applicable.

And does [protag] really want to live with killing someone or whatever [protag] plans to do?

Also what Bee said.

*unless you crazy American people have some screwed up law where this isn't the case

Bee

American rules for law enforcement are for the most part not that bad (with some notable exceptions, and I'll admit I fall on the opposite end of some of them as many people on this forum).  It's just borderline impossible to prosecute anyone who breaks them or fucks up really hard, no matter how flagrantly or in front of how many people.