Is Luke Mitchell guilty - your views

[Nicholas]

I do not think it is fair to label someone who smoked cannabis a "drug addict" - it's not like he was addicted to heroin. Cannabis has been legalised in some major countries and has just been legalised on prescription in this country. It is not a hard drug and a lot of people use it, does this mean everyone who smokes it are not trustworthy?

Label aside - how much weed did Luke Mitchell claim he smoked each week?

Why did he self medicate?

And why did his mother allow it and why didn't she seek out professional help for him?

[justsaying]

Question:

How is actual factual innocence gauged?

I would suggest that if you can prove, through photographic evidence, that you were not present during a street brawl which resulted in murder then that should be enough to "gauge" factual innocence - but our courts evidently do not agree.

[Nicholas]

I would suggest that if you can prove, through photographic evidence, that you were not present during a street brawl which resulted in murder then that should be enough to "gauge" factual innocence - but our courts evidently do not agree.

Courts aside - how is actual factual innocence gauged?

[justsaying]

Label aside - how much weed did Luke Mitchell claim he smoked each week?

Why did he self medicate?

And why did his mother allow it and why didn't she seek out professional help for him?

I cannot answer these questions - only Luke himself, or his mother could answer.

[Nicholas]

I would suggest that if you can prove, through photographic evidence, that you were not present during a street brawl which resulted in murder then that should be enough to "gauge" factual innocence - but our courts evidently do not agree.

How do you know Simon Hall was actually factually guilty?

[Nicholas]

I cannot answer these questions - only Luke himself, or his mother could answer.

Are you suggesting that these facts have never been addressed and established in 15 years?

[Nicholas]

I cannot answer these questions - only Luke himself, or his mother could answer.

Do you think the police knew the answer to these questions?

[Nicholas]

I do not think it is fair to label someone who smoked cannabis a "drug addict" - it's not like he was addicted to heroin. Cannabis has been legalised in some major countries and has just been legalised on prescription in this country. It is not a hard drug and a lot of people use it, does this mean everyone who smokes it are not trustworthy?

Luke Mitchell appears to have been addicted to cannabis. People can and do become addicted to it.

How did he fund his drug habit?

[Nicholas]

"Lord Nimmo Smith said he could not recall an occasion when he detected any sign of emotion in the teenage killer. "It may be that a lack of emotional response made you more readily able to inflict harm on others," he said.

The judge also linked Mitchell's use of cannabis to the killing. "I do not subscribe to the notion that this is a harmless recreational drug," he said. "In your case, I think that it may well have contributed to your being unable to make the distinction between fantasy and reality which is essential for normal moral judgments
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/feb/12/ukcrime.kirstyscott

[justsaying]

Courts aside - how is actual factual innocence gauged?

Sean Hodgson maybe a prime example - he was exonerated through DNA evidence and compensated for his miscarriage of justice.

Another example could be if the real killer is found, then that would exonerate a person who has been wrongly convicted and prove factual innocence.

I would suggest Sam Hallam is factually innocent on the basis he can prove he was not present during the street brawl.

It is difficult to answer because not all cases are the same.

[Nicholas]

Sean Hodgson maybe a prime example - he was exonerated through DNA evidence and compensated for his miscarriage of justice.

Another example could be if the real killer is found, then that would exonerate a person who has been wrongly convicted and prove factual innocence.

I would suggest Sam Hallam is factually innocent on the basis he can prove he was not present during the street brawl.

It is difficult to answer because not all cases are the same.

How do YOU gauge actual factual innocence?

[justsaying]

Are you suggesting that these facts have never been addressed and established in 15 years?

I am not suggesting anything, I cannot speak for other people. If these things had been established then surely you would not be asking the questions.

[justsaying]

How do you know Simon Hall was actually factually guilty?

How do you know? I assume he is guilty because he confessed and this was not under duress as he was in an open prison at the time and nearly ready to be released.

What other reason could there be for his confession other than he was factually guilty?

[justsaying]

How do YOU gauge actual factual innocence?

Pretty much the same as everyone else does Stephanie - through the merits of the case. How do YOU gauge factual innocence? It would be interesting to know this considering you were the one to bring factual innocence into the conversation.

[Nicholas]

How do you know? I assume he is guilty because he confessed and this was not under duress as he was in an open prison at the time and nearly ready to be released.

What other reason could there be for his confession other than he was factually guilty?

You tell me