The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a petition signed by 38 death-row inmates asking it to review a policy which they said allows judges not to recuse themselves in the event of a conflict of interest.
The policy allows judges who have handed down the death penalty or life sentences, as well as those overseeing cases that have been remanded twice, to continue to preside over the cases if they are remanded for retrial until they have been moved to another division or retire.
The request was reviewed in light of whether abolishing the clauses would aid in the conclusion of court cases that have dragged on and whether it would uphold the rights of all those involved.
The majority of attending judges said the panel should not vote on the issue and should maintain the policy.
Under the Guidelines on Assigning Supreme Court Criminal Cases (最高法院刑事分案實施要點), court cases resulting in the death penalty or life sentences that have been remanded by a higher appellate court go to the same judge who presided over the case.
Similarly, rulings that have been appealed after the case has been remanded to a lower court for a third time go to the same judge who presided over the trial during the third appeal.
In 1987, the Judicial Yuan, hoping to increase trial efficacy, asked that the Supreme Court consider the viability of having civil and criminal case appeals remanded at least twice to be handled by the same presiding judge, the Supreme Court said.
The Judicial Yuan and Executive Yuan’s discussion stated that such action was, in principle, viable and would not harm the interests of those involved, it said.
Similarly, the remanding of death or life sentences being handled by the same judges has been implemented per the Judicial Yuan’s request in 1989, the Supreme Court said, adding that this decision has been documented to prevent further debate.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
PLANNED: The suspect visited the crime scene before the killings, seeking information on how to access the roof, and had extensively researched a 2014 stabbing incident The suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei on Friday had planned the assault and set fires at other locations earlier in the day, law enforcement officials said yesterday. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen (張文), began the attacks at 3:40pm, first setting off smoke bombs on a road, damaging cars and motorbikes. Earlier, Chang Wen set fire to a rental room where he was staying on Gongyuan Road in Zhongzheng District (中正), Chang Jung-hsin said. The suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits
RSS