Michaela - The Aftermath (Please exercise discretion)

[Norf Tyrone]

Geez lads. No matter who's wrong or right or WUM'ing on this thread leave the point scoring and name calling for another day.

Everyone is seriously emotional, annoyed, disturbed, angry and a mixture of all of those. Therefore people's thoughts and messages they portray on here will fluctuate also day to day.

Let's not waste time over analysing each other, point scoring etc.

Leave that for another thread, day and time.

[ONeill]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12191227

How will the Mauritian justice system deal with the murder of Michaela McAreavey?

The murder of Michaela McAreavey on Mauritius has thrust the peaceful and relatively prosperous island nation into the media spotlight.

The country's prime minister has said the crime has made him consider reintroducing the death penalty.

So how will the country's legal system deal with the three men charged in connection with Mrs McAreavy's murder?

Although it gained independence in 1968, Mauritius has a legal system heavily influenced by its colonial past. Between 1715 and 1810 the island was a French possession and as such was ruled according to French Law.

The Napoleonic Code, also known as the French Civil Code, was introduced after 1804 and when the British won possession of the island from the French in 1810 that legal system was kept in place.

Over the years of British rule elements of English common law were adopted and the current legal system is a combination of French and English systems. Mauritius is still a member of the British Commonwealth and the country's supreme court of appeal is the Privy Council in London.

The Indian Ocean country is recognised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as a "stable democracy with regular free elections, a free press, the rule of law and a positive human-rights record".

''Judicial inquiry"

The suspects accused of murdering Mrs McAreavy could be held on remand for up to a year as the police and prosecutors build a case against them.

Ashveen Gopee, a barrister on the island, said once police believe they have enough evidence against an arrested person, they would lodge a provisional charge of murder at a district court.

The case is heard by a magistrate, who is a trained lawyer, not a lay person.

"Bail acts are also similar to British law so the person would probably be denied bail," said Mr Ashveen.

"A judicial inquiry will then be carried out by police officers and the case will be called back by the magistrate at different stages to see how the investigation is continuing."

A formal charge of murder, or a lesser charge, is lodged against the person in a follow-up hearing.

On occasion, a magistrate will strike out a case over a lack of evidence against a suspect.

According to Mr Gopee a suspect can be held in a police cell for 21 days, after which time he or she must be sent to a jail until the case goes to trial.

Murder cases are usually tried before a jury at the Assizes Court of Mauritius.

BBC Northern Ireland reporter, Mervyn Jess, who is in Mauritius, said that now the police have a confession there will be a pooling together of all the evidence which will then be put to the director of public prosecutions.

"The DPP will then decide whether or not the two men charged with murder will face those charges in court or whether they will face a lesser charge," he said.

"If they are found guilty of murder they face up to 45 years in jail. If they are instead found guilty of manslaughter they face up to 18 years in jail."

[gallsman]

What's the problem?

And how f**king dare you insinuate I'd act the WUM on a thread such as this you absolute cretin.

I didnt insinuate it, I stated it.

Check the highlighted part - referring to speculation/gossip.  Then have a look at the piece of speculation/gossip which you posted below.

If you are going to get on your high horse about the apparent 'lack of respect' that a thread like this shows then you could at least refrain from engaging in the very activity which you apparently deem 'disrespectful'.

No need for the language either.

What I was illustrating was the fact that there are currently any number of scenarios that could have led the investigation to this point, each as plausible as the other whether or not we like to admit it, hence the urge to avoid speculating as do what did and may happen.

[Tyrones own]

What's the problem?

And how f**king dare you insinuate I'd act the WUM on a thread such as this you absolute cretin.

I didnt insinuate it, I stated it.

Check the highlighted part - referring to speculation/gossip.  Then have a look at the piece of speculation/gossip which you posted below.

If you are going to get on your high horse about the apparent 'lack of respect' that a thread like this shows then you could at least refrain from engaging in the very activity which you apparently deem 'disrespectful'.

No need for the language either.

What I was illustrating was the fact that there are currently any number of scenarios that could have led the investigation to this point, each as plausible as the other whether or not we like to admit it, hence the urge to avoid speculating as do what did and may happen.

Ok, The point of this thread is what again...can this be locked or better yet deleted   

[Mike Sheehy]

I believe the intent of the thread was to avoid such speculation from appearing on the main thread with the tributes.

However, given the way its going it would probably be better to lock it

(jesus, Things are bad when I'm the one that has to act the diplomat !)

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I've added a poll above, and that'll determine what's to be done with the thread.

[Mike Sheehy]

Thats fair enough

[ross4life]

I believe the intent of the thread was to avoid such speculation from appearing on the main thread with the tributes.

However, given the way its going it would probably be better to lock it

(jesus, Things are bad when I'm the one that has to act the diplomat !)

i believed this too.

[pintsofguinness]

To those who want it deleted or locked, do you think we shouldn't be discussing the investigation/legal proceedings or what? I don't understand.

[armaghniac]

With media articles appearing, someone is going to link to one and so a similar thread will restart in any case. That said some of the contributions have not been postive, notably those advocating draconian punishments or claiming that the Mauritius authorities are too backward to investigate, when by and large we know little about the situation.

[Milltown Row2]

Thats fine. we all should ignore such remarks and carry on with discussing thread title.

[ONeill]

Did you see the wife of one of the suspects on? She (as she would) claimed there's no way her husband could have done such a thing. His mother seemed more resigned.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

With media articles appearing, someone is going to link to one and so a similar thread will restart in any case. That said some of the contributions have not been postive, notably those advocating draconian punishments or claiming that the Mauritius authorities are too backward to investigate, when by and large we know little about the situation.

The sad thing being that even the President of Mauritius has fallen to the same base instincts.

It was also a little off putting to see some of the undertaker's staff on the front page of the Irish News today advertising their business on his t shirt while handling the remains.

[Norf Tyrone]

Did you see the wife of one of the suspects on? She (as she would) claimed there's no way her husband could have done such a thing. His mother seemed more resigned.

Victims too.

[Tyrones own]

To those who want it deleted or locked, do you think we shouldn't be discussing the investigation/legal proceedings or what? I don't understand.

Do any of ye ever stop for a minute and think with the fact that some of the opinions on here make for fairly painful reading
and maybe, just maybe God forbid, some of the family members log in to it ... I just think it's unnecessary, does the speculation
really help anyone in anyway 
Just my opinion and hence the reason I voted to have it deleted!