Extracts from this document...

Introduction

State Against Michael Lamb: Closing Speech for the Defence Your honour, ladies and gentlemen of the jury; for the last six weeks you have all heard the twists and turns of this case, and all the facts of how my client Michael Lamb took the young boy, Owen Kane from St. Kieran's Home for Boys and took him to England without any consent from the boys' parents, and after moving hotel several times finally moved back to Ireland where he killed him. These are the bare facts of this case, and after this speech, ladies and gentle you will decide this mans' fate. Before you adjourn, I want to ask you this. Is Michael Lamb really guilty of the murder of Owen Kane? I will take a few more minutes of you time to refresh your mind on this case to help you answer that question. Michael Lamb was brought up in a loving Christian home. At the age of five, his mother became paralysed in a freak accident. She was then bed bound and was looked after by his father. His father, Mr Patrick Lamb was Michael's role model and not many people could have had a better one. Michael watched as his father devoted his life to his dying mother. ...read more.

Middle

She talked to them several more times while they stayed in that hotel and it was only when they left and she heard the RT� news that was reporting this case did she think anything of it. Even then she wasn't sure enough to report this to the police. The truth is if Owen was anyway unhappy he could have run away. My defendant wasn't holding him locked up in their hotel room, he was allowing him to go out, and even took him to watch his favourite football team. We know it was only the day before the incident that the defendant even considered killing the boy. We know that his money was running out, the police were slowly picking up on their trail and Owens Epilim tablets were running out. We are also aware that the boy Owen Kane had a fit at the football match that he was taken to. There we know that Owen Kane told the defendant that he found his fits peaceful. When my defendant swapped Owen Kane's tablets for aspirin he was aware it would cause the boy to have a fit. We also know he was planning on drowning the boy, he admitted this to the police. He also told the police that he had done it for the good of the boy. ...read more.

Conclusion

At the time before he killed Owen Kane he was scared of getting caught by the police and what would happen to him and Owen. He had hardly any money and no job. It's very easy for us sitting here in this courtroom to decide what he should have done but he was under a lot of pressure. So in a moment you are going to go off and decide the fate of this man. I appeal to your compassionate side. Do you really believe this man deserves to be charged with first degree murder? Before this he has been an upstanding citizen of the law with not so much as a parking ticket. The loss of his father and faith as well as the sight of the bad hand fate has dealt this boy led him to take him away. Constant pressures led this man to believe the option he picked was right. An option he now dearly regrets. Don't go for the simple option I beg of you. Give this man a chance. In prison in his current condition he will have a breakdown. Let him have the therapy and counselling he desperately needs; that and the quiet of a proper institution. No one can punish him more for his actions than he can. He will never be able to forget what he has done to that child. I will let you make your decision now; I know it will be the right one. ?? ?? ?? ?? ...read more.

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