Antigua Honeymoon Murder

Link:  Antigua Honeymoon Murder: Couple to be Buried Together

This story really breaks my heart.  It is probably because I am married and I have been one half of a honeymoon couple on holiday in a foreign and exotic country.  From a deeply personal point of view, I am almost glad that Ben did not wake up from his coma.  The last thing this couple knew was love and happiness and the promise of a long and beautiful life together.

Of course, the reality is that nothing is more precious than life.  My own instructions (to my family's chagrin) are to keep me alive if I ever fall into a coma.  Life is that precious and people often wake up after years in a coma.  Of course, in my romantic mind I don't think I imagined being shot in the head by an intruder.

Link:  Antigua murder: British government faces row over death penalty for shooting

It's interesting that the British government is involved in a row now over the death penalty.  The death penalty is not legal in the UK and as this was a crime committed against British nationals, they feel justified in asking that the death penalty not be imposed in this case.

I believe in the authority of the state (my radical cousin would be very disappointed in me).  I also believe that you need to respect the laws of the country in which you reside.  There are of course channels for changing laws, such as voting and lobbying, but I accept the right of the British government to outlaw capital punishment.  I do not, however, respect their right to approach a sovereign state and request that they act outside of the charter of their own set of laws and guidelines.  If you commit murder in Antigua, you stand the risk of being sentenced to death for the crime you commit.  It really shouldn't even be considered whether the victim of your crime is Antiguan or a foreign national.