Should murderers have the right of anonymity?

[ADigitalArtist]

As far as I'm aware arguments about not releasing murderer names in the US hasn't been about protecting the rights of murderers but preventing cults of personality or using murder as a way of gaining fame. As well as keeping the focus on who it should be on, the victims.

 

[Koldo]

Kind of.

Also, if you do view this in terms of collective response to an individual's attack, you must also therefore accept when it is society's judgement that an individual's name remain unknown to the public - at least if we presume the legal system is working as intended. If it is, then the judge is acting in accordance with society's best interests when they determine that it could potentially cause more harm to society if a killer's name is known than if they remain anonymous. If we see their judgement as the judgement of our society, then we must also therefore grant that the decision to preserve their anonymity is a decision made in the best interests of society too.

At least, that's another way to look at it.

I never presume the legal system to be working as intended ( or even that it was always intended with society's best interests in mind ) though. Which is why I think transparency is key just so almost every procedure can be scrutinized. However, I do agree that, by their own nature, certain pieces of information must be hidden from the general public. Although even on those cases the authority to do that shouldn't rest on a single individual's shoulders.

What I am opposed is hiding the murderers' identity as a rule rather than as an exception.

 

[Notanumber]

They sure can. The undue emphasis you put on race, and the fact that your outrage appears strictly limited to crimes committed by members of minority groups, means people can read past your false front and see the true heart of your agenda.

I hope they can. I have nothing to hide. The members of minority groups should stop committing crimes if they don’t want people to be outraged and the authorities should stop trying to sweep such things under the carpet.

 

[Notanumber]

if he was tried and convicted I don't see any reason why his name shouldn't be released. It's probably for retaliatory reasons under the banner of safety but considering his natural life is over as a free person, I don't see why his name can't be released.

Maybe threats to his family or something? There could be a whole bunch of things for not releasing the name.

No doubt, it will be in the name of community cohesion or some other PC excuse, but crimes should not be covered up.

In the UK, that same Political Correctness is ruining the lives of non-criminals.

 

[Milton Platt]

What possible reason could there be for name suppression in this case and how many other cases do you know of where the same rule has applied?

Grace Millane murder: man jailed for life for killing of UK backpacker

These are the reasons a New Zealand court may legally suppress a defendant's name:

• Cause extreme hardship to the person charged with, or convicted of, or acquitted of the offence, or any person connected with that person.

• Cast suspicion on another person that may cause undue hardship to that person.

• Cause undue hardship to any victim of the offence.

• Create a real risk of prejudice to a fair trial.

• Endanger the safety of any person.

• Lead to the identification of another person whose name is suppressed by order or by law.

• Prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences.

• Prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand.