Law On Murder

EDM number 2503 in 1992-93, proposed by Alan Milburn on 25/10/1993.

That this House expresses its condolences to the family of Michael Gibson who died on 30th August 1993 after a violent assault in Darlington town centre in April 1992 left him comatosed; is horrified that Michael's assailant received a prison sentence of just two years because the existing definition of murder stipulates that a victim must die within 366 days of an assault taking place for a charge of murder to be brought; believes that this ancient law takes no account of advances in medical technology which can keep comatosed patients alive for many years; deplores the injustice suffered by the Gibson family; and calls for an urgent independent review of this law so that this House can decide on a new definition of murder.

This motion has been signed by a total of 71 MPs.