Lawyers for convicted murderer Took Leng How say some 34,000 people have signed a clemency petition against his death sentence.
The petition was submitted to President SR Nathan on Thursday, and a decision is expected over the next few months.
Took's parents took to the streets to ask Singaporeans for support for a plea for their son to be spared the death penalty.
The vegetable packer, a Malaysian, was sentenced to death in August last year for the murder of 8-year-old Huang Na in October 2004.
Since the verdict for the appeal against the death sentence in January was split, some of the petitioners felt the 22-year-old deserved a second chance.
Justice Kan Ting Chiu delivered the dissenting judgment that Took should be convicted for voluntarily causing hurt rather than murder. - CNA/ir
Channelnewsasia.com
10 comments:
I have no sympathy for murders.
He should be put to death.
Grow up. The world is just not black and white.
why is this site supporting Took's case?? why get involved in something none of us is sure abt?? And let the authorities lump this site as radical for anything political & lawless??? You will lose support & credibility for taking on any causes!! How do you know if Took is innocent or guilty?? Why take sides here?? By doing so, you are sending a message to everyone that Singabloodypore stands for anything that is against the govt.
How stupid can you get??
Yawn
bec one of the 3 lawyers' verdict was that there were some elements of doubts!!
Anonymous "why is this site supporting Took's case". This site has many opinions, opinions which some contributors agree with, others disagree. I am Soci and I am against the death penalty, regardless of the crime or offence.
Welcome to the blogosphere everyone. Views expressed belong to the person who wrote them.
And Anonymous what are your views, and opinions on the matter? Care to share?
"why get involved in something none of us is sure abt??"
Because you should not give death sentence for something you are not sure about!
And it is a smaller mistake to let a killer live than to kill an innocent!
And you can never be 100% sure about!
So that's why there is no death sentence in most of the civilized world.
I dont agree with the death penalty because of the reason that anonymous (05/13/2006 06:49:17 AM) has said. Capital punishment is permanent, no appeals, no relief, no nothing. And for those that think that because it is final then criminals will think twice in commiting a crime, think again, since Singapore has had the death penalty for 40 years and there are still drug crimes and murders happening (and Singapore has the highest rate of executions per capita in the world).
But, enough of that, my two cents on this issue are that I am on the side of Took to suggest that if one judge has reasonable doubt, then there should be a lightened sentence and not death. However, that is from a Canadian side of view, but from what I have learned from my girlfriend and her friends in Singapore is that compassion and sympathy in a court of law where a criminal is concerned (either proven or just accused) is rare. There are a few people in Singapore that do have compassion and sympathy, but the majority seem to think that the only good law breaker is a dead law breaker because it really lowers the rate of repeat offenders.
So, as much as I would like to offer hope for Took, the sad truth is that he is just a dead man breathing and he will hang because the Singaporean courts and gov't can not show sympathy cause once you show sympathy to one, you have to show sympathy to all and then that would mean that the courts would have to work and the judges would have to think.
I posted this article with no commentary, because I neither support or disagree with the death penalty. It is simply supposed to be news, negative or positive.
"Singaporean courts and gov't can not show sympathy cause once you show sympathy to one, you have to show sympathy to all and then that would mean that the courts would have to work and the judges would have to think."
That is exactly what the lawyers must and have to exercise their discretion!!
Look at recent going on case. The old man had dismembered a Chinese lady whom he had an affair with.
Initially, he was guilty and was charged with murder and the consequence of it is death penalty. Later, found that he killed upon the agreement by that dead lady and the charge is changed to homicide.
Similarly for Took. One out of the 3 judges claimed there was some reasonable doubts about the case. So, there is still a cause for clemency to commute the law.
If there is still a chance, there is some hope which the parents, his wife and son and his siblings are wishing for him to live on. Why can't we support for someone a chance to live on and to repent for his wrongdoings??
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