Thanks for the clarification, SRS, it was all that was required. It leaves me with more of a puzzle though.

We also have different 'levels' of crime. Some being dealt with by Magistrates and some dealt with by judges and juries. But as I said earlier a crime is a crime is a crime and whatever level it is, it is still brought to court. The only exception is when the director of public prosecutions decides there is not enough evidence or little chance of gaining a conviction. That would almost never happen in the case of an unlawful killing. An inquest would decide if the killing was unlawful or not. If it was, then a complex legal procedure would then decide if the person killing the other was was to be tried for murder or manslaughter. Finaly the court woulld decide if the accused was guilty of whetevr crime they are charged with.

What seems to be happening here is that someone, possibly at police level, has decided that this man is not guilty of any crime, even though he has killed someone. In the UK that would not happen. Even if it was very obvious self defence, and that has happened 3 times near me recently, it is the coroner who advises the DPP whether to go ahead with a legal case or not.

I am asking these questions with a serious worry in mind - My cousin has just moved to Floria - To a gated community in fact. I don't want to go and visit him if someone else in that community decides that I am a stranger, they don't like the look of me and they know they can get away with killing me for no good reason!

Can anyone comment?

Cheers

DtG