Infidelity on way out as defence for murder
David Pallister; 30/7/08
People who kill their partners after years of abuse would be able to use a new defence that they had acted in response to extreme “words and conduct”, under British Government plans to change the law on murder in England and Wales. The proposals by the Ministry of Justice would also provide a defence for women in domestic violence cases who kill their partners in premeditated attacks. They would be able to rely on a defence of “fear of serious violence” but would not have to show they acted spontaneously. The reforms, triggered by concerns about the different treatment of men and women in cases of domestic violence, would mean the abolition of the 17th-century defence of provocation and a more precise medical definition of diminished responsibility.
See: http://www.theage.com.au/world/infidelity-on-way-out-as-defence-for-murder-20080729-3mtv.html
Tags: Domestic Violence, UK