Originally Posted by
Barry Shnikov
Ahem. (adjusts tie)
No such offence as corporate manslaughter. Manslaughter in UK still requires a mens rea (NB not the same thing as 'man's bum'), or "guilty mind". Somebody has to have the intent (e.g. murder) the negligence (e.g. manslaughter) or recklessness (e.g. criminal damage) to go along with the criminal act (or actus reus) of the crime.
Some directors/managers etc have been prosecuted, on the basis that they were so intimately involved with the deadly incident that it may be possible to identify that particular person as having the mens rea, but AFAIK not, to this date, successfully.
What the law may be in the countries where publication took place might be, I do not know.
BUT more than that, you would have to say that the proper person(s) to charge in respect of such deaths would be the death-dealing party; that is to say, the publishers cannot be held responsible for crimes which are committed by other persons exercising their freedom of choice.
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