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One hundred and seventy five undergraduates (105 females) read a fictional criminal trial summary of a parricide case in which the juvenile defendant alleged sexual abuse or physical abuse or did not allege abuse. An allegation of either type of abuse led to a greater likelihood of a manslaughter conviction than a murder conviction and greater pro-child ratings (e.g., sympathy toward the defendant) compared to no abuse allegations. Specific evaluations of the defendant mediated the verdict results. In addition, there was no support for the claim that perceptions are more heinous for sexual abuse than physical abuse allegations and only limited support that perceptions for this type of case result in women being more pro-child defendant than men. The discussion focuses on how abuse allegations impact jurors' decision-making processes in parricide cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the judgment of Australian High Court in two cases Fingleton v The Queen and Patel v The Queen wherein physician Jayant Patel was convicted of manslaughter of his three patients. It mentions that emphasis of physician case was on protection of whistleblower against the physician. It argues that an understanding of public sector employment law is required and the way it relates to criminal prosecution of public servants and judges.

The controversial partial defence of provocation has now been abolished in three Australian jurisdictions, including Victoria. Recent developments in Victorian case law would appear to suggest a continuation of 'excuses' for male anger and violence towards women that position the woman victim as to blame for her own death. This article considers that the 2005 abolition of provocation was only in part designed to redress the problem of victim-blame. The decision was accompanied by other key changes introduced into the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) to make it easier for women who kill in the context of family violence to successfully claim self-defence and 'excessive self-defence' (defensive homicide). Drawing on recent developments in Victorian case law since the 2005 amendments, this article argues that the claim that provocation's victim-blaming narratives are being mobilised in the guise of other defences merits closer analysis. It also argues that provocation's critics must continue to expose the gendered (and raced) assumptions underlying the other defences to homicide, such as self-defence including manslaughter and the new offence of defensive homicide. Otherwise there is a risk that provocation's victim-blaming narratives could end up rewritten in such a way that support an argument for a reduction in culpability in cases where there is a history of violence against the woman victim, which is likely to result in claims that little has changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of business enterprise is now subject to the new law on Corporate Manslaughter (the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007). The bulk of the legislation came into force in April this year. The Act has had a long and turbulent gestation period and is a response to widespread concern that `corporate killing' was escaping the reach of criminal law. The legislation introduces an offence of corporate manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and corporate homicide in Scotland. While the title of the Act suggests that the new law is aimed at incorporated bodies, the range of the legislation is extensive. The broad range of organisations caught by the Act extends from companies and local authorities to NHS bodies and specified government departments. The new law has attracted a mixed response, with some commentators viewing it as a largely symbolic exercise which will have a limited impact, whilst others express concern that the legislation only adds to the pressure on the business community at a time of economic crisis. The paper examines both the background to the Act and the main provisions and attempts a consideration of the way in which the legislation is likely to work in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]