The Justice System and the Guildford Four

            The movie "In the Name of the Father"" by Jim Sheridan tells the story of the Guildford .

             Four from the point of view of Gerry Conlon. The movie takes place in 1974 during an .

             I.R.A. terrorist campaign. At his father's request, Gerry leaves Ireland for London. .

             There, Gerry and his friend Paul Hill, and two other friends, are falsely accused for a .

             bombing that occurred in a pub in Guildford, England. Due to the pressure to bring the .

             perpetrators behind the bombings to justice, Inspector Pavis is forced to push the blame .

             on the most likely suspects without regard to their innocence or guilt. The four friends .

             are arrested, tortured and forced to confess to the Guildford bombing.

             .

             In this situation the system of justice was completely broken down. The court made a .

             decision to put in prison innocent people with a life sentence. This is fully contradicted .

             system of justice and the meaning of the court and a judge. In the movie "In The Name of the Father " were violated many Charter of rights. The most meaningful are:.

             S.10(b) Everyone has the right on arrest or detention, to retain and instruct counsel with .

             out delay and to be informed of that right. This section was completely violated in the.

             case with Gerry Conlon. When police officers arrested Gerry, they didn't tell him about .

             his rights on the lawyer. The inspector just started questioning Gerry about terrorist .

             act.

             S. 11(d) Any person charged with an offence has the right to be presumed innocent .

             until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and .

             impartial tribunal. But in the story of the Guildford four this was also violated. Police .

             called them guilty, also was saying that they know it and everyone knows it too. Police .

             blamed them in a terrorist act, because they thought it was enough evidence to put .

             them in prison. .

             S. 12 Everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or .

             punishment.

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