A Knife's Edge: Sentencing Justice in the Age of Emotion The recent court decision to nearly double a Malaysian woman's jail term for stabbing her boyfriend to death has raised questions about the role of emotion in our justice system.
The case, which involves a 19 year old accused of murdering her 29 year old partner after refusing his sexual advances, has sparked debate about whether judges are adequately equipped to balance compassion with accountability.
On its surface, this appears to be a straightforward matter of murder and culpability.