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submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

A British nurse refused to appear in court on Monday to be sentenced for the murders of seven babies and attempted murders of six others at the UK hospital where she worked.

Lucy Letby, 33, could face a whole life order, meaning she spends the rest of her life behind bars, when she is sentenced later at Manchester Crown Court in northern England. She was found guilty on Friday by a jury, in a case that horrified the country and made her the most prolific child serial killer of recent times.

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[-] Fisk400@feddit.nu 89 points 1 year ago

If you are ever sentenced to something simply refuse. They can't sentence you without your consent.

[-] li10@feddit.uk 45 points 1 year ago

Apparently you can be found innocent by coughing before they read the verdict and saying “dipshit says guilty”

[-] sunshi@sopuli.xyz 14 points 1 year ago

I've got the best fucking attorneys

[-] lars@lemmy.world 50 points 1 year ago

Sentencing judges hate this one weird trick

[-] clothes@lemmy.world 44 points 1 year ago

This nurse: horrible

Commenters proposing various forms of vigilante justice and torture: horrible

This isn't Reddit! We don't have to be assholes here!

[-] 13esq@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Right.

I know that in cases like these, our emotions get riled and the lines between justice and revenge become blurred.

Trust me, you want to live in a just society, not a vengeful one. Don't let your heart rule your head!

[-] Synthuir@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

“Remember: love with your heart; use your head for everything else.”

[-] hydrospanner@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Right?

This is Lemmy: much worse in very specific ways, with little to none of the self awareness of Reddit.

[-] aeternum@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I mean, honestly, are we any better than the murderer if we propose they be raped in prison or whatever?

[-] TWeaK@lemm.ee 25 points 1 year ago

She's going to get life in prison either way, so what's the point of her going to any more hearings?

[-] SomeoneElse@lemmy.ca 34 points 1 year ago

I believe it’s at the sentencing that victim impact statements are read. It’s the only time victims can speak directly to the perpetrator. Some victims might get a sense of closure from that.

[-] iAmTheTot@kbin.social 17 points 1 year ago

She killed seven babies. Somehow I doubt she cares about providing closure.

[-] SomeoneElse@lemmy.ca 27 points 1 year ago

It’s not about her, it’s about the victims. They want the opportunity to speak in open court and to witness her sentencing. Currently she can just opt not to go but I think they’re looking into changing the law so that the victims can have at least that.

[-] draughtcyclist@programming.dev 13 points 1 year ago

I can't believe you can just opt out of that after murdering someone's children. Incarceration would be mandatory. Why is this not?

[-] Fisk400@feddit.nu 5 points 1 year ago

I think it's because you can't really force a person to behave properly if they don't want to. They could force her to be there but they would have to restrain her and gag her because she could just scream and kick the entire time. It's so easy for her to spoil the moment that they only do it if she is on board with it.

[-] SomeoneElse@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

They’re looking into changing the law so it is mandatory I believe.

[-] Tatters@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago

I still don’t think they will be able to physically force the perpetrator to be present for the sentencing and victim impact statements, as this could result in very upsetting and unpredictable scenes in the courtroom for the victim’s families, if the prisoner chooses to freak out. Instead, I think there will be additional punishments for non-attendance. But if you are likely to be given a whole life sentence, what additional punishment could be effective compared to that?

[-] roguetrick@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Murderous cluster b personality disorder woman throws tantrum when faced with consequences. Who could've seen that coming.

[-] njm1314@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Really wish I'd stop hearing this woman's name everywhere. Don't want this kind of fucking crime to be celebratized.

[-] vlad76@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 year ago

Exactly what happens with school shootings as well. People wonder "Why did kids go shoot up schools? They must have been influenced by the [group name]!" And then they do a 24 hour news cycle where they dig up every single thing about the shooter and try to find a deeper meaning in their actions. If you were a kid being bullied all the time and you saw that on the news, of course you'd think "Wait a minute. I can make them all pay??". Kids are crazy impressionable. Adults aren't much better, though.

[-] Ilikepornaddict@lemmynsfw.com 6 points 1 year ago

Bold move cotton, let's see how it plays out.

[-] fne8w2ah@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Chickening out on that whole-life order, isn't it, coward?!

[-] DannyMac@lemmy.world -5 points 1 year ago

I hope she lives a long life full of mystery and pain, but she'll probably be isolated from general population. I'm not sure how the British penal system compares to the US.

[-] davepleasebehave@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

mystery and pain? like a sort of masochistic shaggy?

[-] quicksand@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Scooby Doo style baby

[-] LordGloom@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I was just thinking the same thing. I couldn't find if she's been segregated for the last 11 months she's been in jail. She has been in four different prisons, and there's speculation she'll be put on 24 hour suicide watch until sentencing. In the US you always hear that most inmates, and especially ones with nothing to lose will retaliate against people who harm kids. Is that something that happens in the UK? I'm guessing yes.

this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2023
202 points (97.2% liked)

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