4
   

Childhood murder

Forums:
Email this Topic • Print this Page
 
 
gritlit
 
Reply Mon 23 Jul, 2018 09:12 am
A character in my novel confesses to killing a childhood friend. At the time it was deemed an accident, and she was never suspected. Eleven years later she confesses to it. What could potentially happen to her legally? Would she be arrested? What kind of investigation could they conduct? Would her confession be enough to convict?
  • Topic Stats
  • Top Replies
  • Link to this Topic
Type: Question • Score: 4 • Views: 1,191 • Replies: 10

 
tsarstepan
 
  2  
Reply Mon 23 Jul, 2018 10:33 am
@gritlit,
Can't directly answer the question because for the most part ... it depends on where the novel (mostly the murder) is set.

Every country would have different laws that would cover this. Also... what is the age of the murderer when confessing? Is he/she still a legal minor?

I hate to disappoint you but since this is an amazingly important plot point, you're going to have to some actual legal research for yourself. Anyone here isn't going to give you enough legal context that would cover everything you need to complete an authentic crime story of this degree.
0 Replies
 
Setanta
 
  0  
Reply Mon 23 Jul, 2018 01:17 pm
Where I come from, we'd just take the bitch out and pop a cap in her pin head.
0 Replies
 
glitterbag
 
  2  
Reply Mon 23 Jul, 2018 02:59 pm
In the USA there is no statute of limitations on murder. You will need to do additional research on how juveniles are held to account...that’s not something I would even attempt to address.
BillRM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 23 Jul, 2018 07:17 pm
@glitterbag,
glitterbag wrote:

In the USA there is no statute of limitations on murder. You will need to do additional research on how juveniles are held to account...that’s not something I would even attempt to address.


True as far as first degree murder but not true for lessor charges connected with killings as far as I know.

Plus it can be even more complex as she would need to be charge with the crime under the laws that exist at the time of the killing an likely could only be punish as a minor not as the adult she is now and once more no more then the punishment set forth for a minor at that time frame.
oralloy
 
  0  
Reply Mon 23 Jul, 2018 08:39 pm
@BillRM,
Most places simply exempt "murder" from their statute of limitations without specifying the degree.

I presume that this means all degrees of murder are exempted from the statute of limitations.

Manslaughter would depend on which jurisdiction we are talking about.

http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/state-statutes-of-limitation-for-criminal-charges
http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-law-basics/time-limits-for-charges-state-criminal-statutes-of-limitations.html
http://resources.lawinfo.com/criminal-defense/criminal-statute-limitations-time-limits.html
0 Replies
 
jespah
 
  3  
Reply Tue 24 Jul, 2018 06:40 am
Some of this depends on the age of the killer at the time of the deed. Under age 7 in a lot of jurisdictions, still, will give an almost automatic 'free pass'. Not that murder is to be minimized, it's more that at a certain age and lower, children are often considered incompetent to have a motive, no matter how individually mature they might be (this used to wreak havoc with abused children testifying against their assailants -- it's not so much of an issue anymore, particularly as often the testimony of preschoolers is bolstered by observations such as the information from rape kits or the testimony of competent psychiatrists).
0 Replies
 
BillRM
 
  1  
Reply Mon 6 Aug, 2018 07:43 am
Footnote there is a great great old movie as in the 1940s or 1950s name the bad seed about a little innocent looking little girl serial murderer that is well worth watching in my opinion.
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Reply Mon 6 Aug, 2018 07:45 am
@BillRM,
BillRM wrote:

Footnote there is a great great old movie as in the 1940s or 1950s name the bad seed about a little innocent looking little girl serial murderer that is well worth watching in my opinion.

But not worthy enough to know the actual year and title of the release?
Sturgis
 
  3  
Reply Mon 6 Aug, 2018 04:16 pm
@tsarstepan,
The Bad Seed - 1956 starring Patty McCormack as the dreadful little girl named Rhoda.


There is also currently a 2018 version of the movie being done (for television), currently in post-production. It stars Rob Lowe, with McKenna Grace as the dreaded child. Patty McCormack is listed in the credits over at IMDB, no character name listed for her.

Note, the movie is based upon the same novel, The Bad Seed by William March, character names are for whatever reason different.

There was also a 1985 television run of the movie.
0 Replies
 
BillRM
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Aug, 2018 03:15 pm
@tsarstepan,
tsarstepan wrote:

BillRM wrote:

Footnote there is a great great old movie as in the 1940s or 1950s name the bad seed about a little innocent looking little girl serial murderer that is well worth watching in my opinion.

But not worthy enough to know the actual year and title of the release?


LOL as we all have access to google anyone who wish to know such details can find them inside of a few seconds so how lazy can you be to complain about my not giving those details to you?

Hell I think I still got that movie on one of my secondary hard drives for that matter from a download from youtube along with such old black and white movies as the attempt to rescue a little boy who got himself lock in a bank vault with a time lock before his air ran out.

So you can not be so lazy to complain about my not giving you details this time.

Quote:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Lock

Time Lock (1957) is a British thriller film directed by Gerald Thomas. The plot is about a six-year-old boy who is accidentally locked in a bank vault. With less than 10 hours of oxygen left in the vault, it becomes a race to save the boy. The film features a young, pre-James Bond Sean Connery. The boy is played by Vincent Winter and his parents are played by Lee Patterson and Betty McDowall.

Although set in Canada the film was shot in England


Some of the old movies are the best and any remakes of them seem lacking.
0 Replies
 
 

 
  1. Forums
  2. » Childhood murder
Copyright © 2025 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.05 seconds on 06/27/2025 at 11:44:16
▲ ▼