Jeddart Justice

[Note: this blog is part of a research project. It is not especially aimed at a broad public. It’s a place for the author to keep notes, and it is made public in case others find it useful or interesting. Please do not quote.]  Daniel Penny pretty obviously choked Jordan Neely to death — even…

By William Harms (Note: this short piece was originally published in 1998, in Radar: Ethics & Technology Review, a publication that no longer exists. It was written in response to “A Laser in My Pocket.”) Dear Siskel: In the part of Orange County I used to live in, they too figured out innovations in grassroots norms…

A Laser1 in My Pocket2By Chris MacDonald (Note: this short essay was originally published in 1998, in Radar: Ethics & Technology Review, a publication that no longer exists.) “I parked my mountain bike against a tree by the side of 16th Avenue, and removed my helmet. The cars exiting Pacific Spirit Park zoomed past me, entering…

Vigilantism goes by many names: Jeddart justice. Rough justice. Mob rule. Lynching (after Judge Charles Lynch, and his activities during the American revolutionary war) The folks who carry out vigilantism likewise have gone under many monikers: Vigilance committees. Committees of public safety (a name adopted at least by some groups in civil-war era Texas —…

This is a new blog about the ethics of vigilantism. I have no idea how often I’ll post. The term “Jeddart Justice,” taken literally, is a reference to the practice of carrying out execution prior to trial. It’s a reference to the town of Jedburgh, located near Edinburgh, Scotland, and an anecdote or anecdotes about…