What are the possible outcomes of the appeal assuming the prosecution decides to further appeal?

Following the High Court’s verdict to acquit and discharge the juvenile from the murder charge at the end of defence stage, a group of netizens has launched a public petition urging the prosecution to appeal to Court of Appeal against the High Court’s decision.

What are the possible outcomes of the appeal assuming the prosecution decides to further appeal ?

A. Judgment reversed and punishment meted out by Court of Appeal

Since the case was concluded at the defence stage, if the appeal is allowed, the acquittal and discharge order of the High Court will be replaced by an order that the juvenile be sentenced to indefinite detention "at the pleasure" of the state ruler in accordance with Section 97(2) of the Child Act 2001, s97(2) of the Act prohibits the death sentence being imposed on child who was under 18 years old when the crime was committed.

The juvenile will be placed in standard regional state prison.

B. Appeal is dismissed and the High Court’s order is maintained.

If the appeal is dismissed, the detention order by the High Court maintained i.e. juvenile to be detained in safe custody at a psychiatric hospital “at the pleasure" of the Sultan/Ruler of the state.

Differences between the 2 possible outcomes

a. The juvenile will lose his liberty but his life will not be deprived.

In both scenarios, the juvenile will lose his liberty be it detained at the prison if appeal is allowed or at the psychiatric hospital if the appeal is dismissed but he will not be sentenced to death as stated earlier (s97 Child Act 2001).

b. Possibilities to be freed from detention

If the appeal is allowed, though the “indefinite detention” term was used, the chance being released cannot be ruled out.

If the appeal is allowed and juvenile being detained in prison, under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution, acting on the official advice of the state or federal Pardons Board, the Sultan holds the sovereign power to grant pardons, reprieves, or remissions. In other words, the juvenile may submit his application to Pardons Board for him to return to society.

If the appeal is dismissed, the juvenile will remain confined and treated at the facility until Medical authorities and forensic psychiatrists thoroughly assess the juvenile and determine he is no longer a threat to himself or society.

A medical report is then submitted to the Ruler of Selangor who will be acting on the advice of the state's Pardons Board & to consider if the juvenile can be returned to society.

c. Criminal conviction be recorded ?

Under the Child Act, the legal system avoids using the terms "conviction" or "sentence" to protect the juvenile from lifelong stigma.

If a juvenile is proven to have committed an offence including severe crimes like murder, instead of using conviction, the court registers a finding of guilt.

Another question raised is in the event the appeal is dismissed, any possibility that the juvenile be acquitted and discharged and he is freed without being detained in the custody.

The answer is definitely negative as the juvenile has murdered the victim is a fact agreed by both prosecution and the defence. The only issue before the court is whether when the crime was committed, the juvenile is completely incapable of understanding what he was doing or that it violated the law. Further, it is appeal by prosecution, not the defence.

In conclusion, if one signs the petition with the intention to demand for maximum sentence which is death sentence or at least a criminal conviction being recorded, the desired target will not be achieved.

This article is never meant to insult, annoy or to intensify the excruciating pains of the victim’s family. My deepest and heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family.

高庭于抗辩阶段结束后宣判少年谋杀罪名不成立，一群网民发起了一项公众请愿，敦促检方就高庭的判决上诉到上诉庭。

假设检方决定继续上诉，上诉可能的结果会是什么？

A. 上诉法院推翻原判并作出新的刑罚

由于本案是在辩护阶段结案，如果上诉成功，高庭的无罪释放令将被替换为根据2001年《儿童法》第97(2)条判处该少年无限期监禁的命令，该监禁“由州统治者决定”。该法第97(2)条禁止对犯罪时未满18岁的未成年人判处死刑。

少年将被关押在州立监狱。

B. 上诉被驳回，高庭的裁决维持不变。

如果上诉被驳回，高庭的拘留令将继续有效，该拘留令规定，未成年人应被安全拘留在精神病院，由苏丹/统治者“酌情决定”是否释放。

两种可能结果有何区别？

a. 未成年人将失去自由，但不会被剥夺生命。

无论哪种情况，少年都会失去自由：如果上诉获准，将被关押在监狱；如果上诉被驳回，将被送往精神病院。但正如前文所述（2001年《儿童法》第97条），他不会被判处死刑。

b. 获释的可能性

即使上诉获准，尽管使用了“无限期拘留”一词，也不能排除少年获释的可能性。

如果上诉获准，且该少年被拘留在监狱中，根据联邦宪法第42条，苏丹在州或联邦赦免委员会的正式建议下，拥有赦免、缓刑或减刑的权力。换言之，该少年可以向赦免委员会提交申请，以期重返社会。

如果上诉被驳回，该少年将继续被限制在该机构接受治疗，直到医疗机构和法医精神病学家对该少年进行彻底评估，并确定他不再对自己或社会构成威胁。

随后，一份医疗报告将提交给雪兰莪州统治者，统治者将根据州赦免委员会的建议采取行动，包括考虑让少年回归社会的可能性。

c. 是否会留下犯罪案底

根据《儿童法令》法律体系避免使用“定罪”或“判刑”等词语，以保护未成年人免受终身污名。

如果少年被证实犯有包括谋杀等严重罪行在内的罪行，法院不会使用“定罪”一词，而是记录“有罪认定”。

另一个问题是，如果上诉被驳回，未成年人是否有可能被判无罪释放，无需被拘留且恢复自由。

答案显然是否定的，因为控辩双方开审时都承认少年杀害了受害者。法庭目前唯一需要审理的问题是，犯罪时该少年是否完全不具备理解自身行为及其违法性的能力。此外，本案的上诉方为控方，而非少年。

总而言之，如果签署请愿书的目的是为了要求判处少年极刑-死刑，或至少留下犯罪记录，那么最终目的将无法实现。

本文绝无冒犯、激怒或加剧受害者家属痛苦之意。谨向受害者家属致以最深切的慰问