In article <V8idnbK28JLF1_XanZ2dnUVZ_sbinZ2d@speakeasy.net>,
Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> wrote:

> We wouldn't have jurisdiction, anyway, so this is all moot.

And even if we did, would it be a _crime_? It's not a
human, so it can't be murder. Could (but doesn't have
to) be illegal hunting, but only if a human did it.
Prosecuting non-humans it not in fashion any longer.
--
Urban Fredriksson http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
To get rid of an enemy, make him a friend.

Urban Fredriksson wrote:

> And even if we did, would it be a _crime_? It's not a
> human, so it can't be murder. Could (but doesn't have
> to) be illegal hunting, but only if a human did it.
> Prosecuting non-humans it not in fashion any longer.

Under current law, perhaps not. But it would be a pretty easy and
logical extension of precedent to extend protection to other non-human
intelligences.

The bigger issue is that without knowing anything about the
circumstances or having anything else to go on, it's not even clear that
it's a case of xenomurder.

--
Erik Max Francis && max@alcyone.com && http://www.alcyone.com/max/
San Jose, CA, USA && 37 18 N 121 57 W && AIM, Y!M erikmaxfrancis
My hand trembles, but my heart does not.
-- Stephen Hopkins (on signing the US Declaration of Independence)

On 19 Dec 2007 19:53:02 +0100, griffon@canit.se (Urban Fredriksson)
wrote:

>In article <V8idnbK28JLF1_XanZ2dnUVZ_sbinZ2d@speakeasy.net>,
>Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> wrote:
>
>> We wouldn't have jurisdiction, anyway, so this is all moot.
>
>And even if we did, would it be a _crime_? It's not a
>human, so it can't be murder. Could (but doesn't have
>to) be illegal hunting, but only if a human did it.
>Prosecuting non-humans it not in fashion any longer.

I'm quite confident that Earth courts would rule that aliens capable
of building starships qualify as legal persons should the question
ever be seriously raised.

Urban Fredriksson <griffon@canit.se> wrote:
> Erik Max Francis <max@alcyone.com> wrote:
> > We wouldn't have jurisdiction, anyway, so this is all moot.

> And even if we did, would it be a _crime_? It's not a
> human, so it can't be murder. Could (but doesn't have
> to) be illegal hunting, but only if a human did it.

You know what would really make this fun? If the knife -- found in an
alien's back in an alien ship in high Earth orbit -- was a standard model
hunting knife available in any Wal-Mart.

I can just envision a high-level bureaucrat's reaction as he reads
the 'Made in China' label...

.... ...
Remus Shepherd <remus@panix.com>
Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/remus_shepherd/
Comic: http://indepos.comicgenesis.com/

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:44:22 +0000 (UTC), Remus Shepherd
<remus@panix.com> wrote:

> You know what would really make this fun? If the knife -- found in an
>alien's back in an alien ship in high Earth orbit -- was a standard model
>hunting knife available in any Wal-Mart.
>
> I can just envision a high-level bureaucrat's reaction as he reads
>the 'Made in China' label...

Very nice touch. :)
--

On Dec 19 2007, 9:28 pm, David Johnston <da...@block.net> wrote:
> I'm quite confident that Earth courts would rule that aliens capable
> of building starships qualify as legal persons should the question
> ever be seriously raised.

However, there is no way to be sure that the alien in question was
actually sentient.

Perhaps, it is like the Mary Celeste. The aliens had just ceremonially
killed dinner when the crew decided to all go for a short trip in
their scout ship and they forgot the keys for the air lock.