I’m no legal gun but here’s a scenario from my ideal world.
I’m in a hotel, and I have a hissy fit and whack a member of staff with a phone causing injury and stress. The staff member has every right to do a job without being assaulted so the cops get called.
If the “problem” is a police matter then why does it appear to world that I can open my wallet and fork out $$$ to buy the police off. Ok, I’m buying my victim off, but I get 2 for the price of 1.
It seems to me that I have 2 cases to answer:
- criminal because I beat someone up
- financial compensation for the hurt and distress
So I can see how an out of court settlement works for the compensation. It’s really about making an arrangement.
But how does it get me out of my criminal charges? Money or not, I beat someone up. I either have charges to answer or I don’t.
Yet, according to the news actor Russell Crowe (more Aussie than Kiwi despite what we like to think) is doing just that. He faces a year in jail, and the loss of his work visa and that’s a shame, but he should no more be able to buy his way out of trouble than the next man. It’s obscene.
Ref: NZ Herald
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