Criminal Offense

Famous quotes containing the words criminal and/or offense:

    No political party can ever make prohibition effective. A political party implies an adverse, an opposing, political party. To enforce criminal statutes implies substantial unanimity in the community. This is the result of the jury system. Hence the futility of party prohibition.
    Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)

    O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven;
    It hath the primal eldest curse upon ‘t,
    A brother’s murder. Pray can I not,
    Though inclination be as sharp as will;
    My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
    And like a man to double business bound
    I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
    And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
    Were thicker than itself with brother’s blood,
    Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
    To wash it white as snow?
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)