RR Phantom
Location : Wasted Space Job/hobbies : Cayman Islands Actuary
| Subject: Right to remain silent in OZschwitz, at risk under legal crackdown Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:00 am | |
| THE foundations of criminal justice - the right to remain silent and the presumption of innocence - are under threat in NSW from proposed new laws, legal experts have warned.
The O'Farrell government said yesterday it would water down the right to remain silent in response to bikie gang violence.
''For too long it has been too easy for criminals to hide behind rights to silence,'' the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, said. ''We are going to amend the law to allow juries and judges to take an adverse inference from an accused person who refuses to divulge facts to police but then later produces so-called evidence in order to provide an excuse.''
Under laws to be introduced in October, people will be warned they may risk harming their defence in court if they remain silent under police questioning.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/right-to-remain-silent-at-risk-under-ofarrells-legal-crackdown-20120814-246vy.html#ixzz23aVjKo6W
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