Phuket locals rally against Swiss man

[unicorn]

4 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

...However, you cannot settle a criminal case...

I don't know about Britain, but in the US it's common for the defense lawyers and prosecutors to hammer out a plea deal, wherein the defendant agrees to plead Guilty or No Contest to a lesser charge in order to avoid a trial. That being said, the deal is not usually $$$ in exchange for avoidance of prosecution, although the lesser charge might involve only a fine and probation, rather than prison time.

Needless to say, these agreements need to be in writing, preferably with the assistance of one's attorney. I recently saw an episode of the TV show 20/20, which was similar to the murder case by the Spaniard from the other string. The cops told the murderer than they 'might" show leniency at trial if the killer would lead them to the bodies. When the trial came, however, the murderer received the death sentence (in Texas, where those sentences are often carried out). Fortunately, murderers are often also quite stupid. I'm not sure why that stupid Spaniard led the cops to the places where he discarded the body parts. He did not seem to get any leniency in return, and apparently could be eligible for the death penalty. Leading cops to body parts obviously removes any possible doubt one did the deed. 

[vinapu]

19 hours ago, unicorn said:

There you go again speaking with the semblance of authority over something you know nothing about.

 

that's my trademark, didn't you notice ?

[vinapu]

6 hours ago, unicorn said:

I don't know about Britain, but in the US

those are two out of 202 jurisdictions in the world and fundamental  differences between them exist.

From our own backyard - you may have sex with your boyfriend in Los Angeles and it's just sex. Do the same in Kampala or Riyad and you may be dangling from the gallows.

[Travelingguy]

I think that this comes down to semantics to some degree.  Settling a case usually involves a cash settlement.  Done commonly in civil cases.

Taking a plea bargain involves a criminal defendant accepting usually a lower sentence and/or charge from the prosecutor.  Defendants can offer prosecutors something in exchange for the reduced sentence (testify against someone else, location of victims, body parts, money, etc).

But if a criminal defendant offers a cash settlement to a prosecutor, he is likely to face additional charges.  Unless…he gets lucky with the prosecutor.

In some systems (France and Germany for example), the victim or the victim’s family can be represented in court as civil parties by their own counsel during the criminal trial. 

This Swiss guy or his family (probably not the wife since she already ran away) may want to get him out of the criminal case.  The alleged bribe is vague and unlikely to become part of the case, unless they can nail down the details enough to arrest the people making the bribe.  But bribes are offered for criminal cases, not lawsuits.  

In many jurisdictions, if a living victim refuses to press charges, there is not case.   Possibly the goal here.