“KILLING NO MURDER.”

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1930, Page 3

“KILLING NO MURDER.”

Some startling innovations, from the point of view of the British Bench and Rar, contained in the new Federal Penal Code of Mexico, a copy of which Has just reached the Middle Temple (writes a correspondent of the London “Observer”). Several sorts of murder coolly premeditated or committed m anger on the spur of the moment, are permitted without penalty. A B P onsp may, at any time, and in any circumstances which gives the impression that he or she is committing adultery be killed by the other spouse. The indig-

mint spouse is also allowed lo kill one paramour, caught “in flagrante, delie-, to' without penalty; the murdering;• qsubsequent paramours involves certain light penalties. A father is now empowered to kill a. daughter whom lie finds committing adultery, and to kill the man, too. Our own barristers point out that such condonement of what- the Mexicans term “killing in defence of one’s honour’ throws the door wide open to large numbers of cases of murder due. to unfounded, suspicion and to suspicion maliciously aroused by an enemy of the victim. It renders it possible, for instance, for a jealous woman to telephone such a message to an excitable parent, whose ailing daugh j ter, living elsewhere, is being professionally attended by a doctor, find for . tbe parent to burst in and shoot the ! doctor, in the back before lie had a : chance to explain the reason for his presence. It also renders quite simple the extermination of an unwanted husband, wife or' daughter; all that is necessary' is to ambush the victim in the quite innocent company' of a meinher off the opposite sex; shoot the pair of them and inform the authorities that the killing was in defence of one’s honour. The death penalty isabolish Ml for any form of murder, zut is reserved for certain political crimes and for treasonable rebellion. Six years’ imprisonment is -prescribed for the motorist who fatally injures a pedestrian. The first theft of a person who tan prove that he or she, or his or depend cuts, needs food is condoned. Parties to a prospective duel must submit their differences to a court of honour, which wijl try to solve the matter without bloodshed. Tf it fails it d'qs not officially authorise the pnirrellers to go j ahead with the duel. Tt merely' strands) aside. Bitter criticisms as well as np- j proval has been evoked by the code. • hut Congress has not been able to in- j terfere, as it was drawn up under spec ' ial powers granted eongressionally to J Provisional President Portes Gil. The various States of Mexico, however, are each allowed by the Republic’s nonstito fieri tn refrain from substituting it for their own laws if they want to.