Snape getting off scott freeWAS: Re: Harry Forgiving Snape

[dungrollin]

No: HPFGUIDX 162893

> Steve/bboyminn:
> <SNIP>
> > However, if Snape lives, I don't see him getting off
> > scott free. He did what he did, and I feel he must pay
> > a price for it, probably Azkaban, but I think that
> > price will be tempered and moderated with some 
> > understanding.
> >
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Oh, but why don't you see that if you argue that Snape and 
Dumbledore had a plan? ( I know you argue that it was not an exact 
plan, but emergency plan nevertheless, right? I hope I did not 
confuse your position with anybody :))
> 
> I mean, if Snape killed Dumbledore **on Dumbledore's orders**, 
isn't that not Snape's fault? Isn't it all Dumbledore's fault? How 
dare he force Snape to kill him?
> 
> Isn't Dumbledore the one who should be blamed in this situation? :)
> 
<snip>

Dungrollin:
This is an interesting one. 

IMO it would (assuming DDM!Snape gets through book 7 without dying) 
depend entirely on whether 

a) there is any evidence that Dumbledore ordered Snape to kill him; 

b) whether the decision to kill Dumbledore and place Superspy!Snape 
in the DE camp and at Voldemort's right hand significantly improved 
the chances of Voldemort being defeated; 

and c) how much evidence there is to support the idea that Snape had 
been working against Voldemort and that he didn't kill DD in order 
to help the bad guys. (IMO depends on the finale, and whether Snape 
could provide any evidence of, for example him telling DD that he 
didn't want to do it, he'd rather die.)

Even then, if all the information was available and it was obvious 
to everybody that Snape had been acting for the greater good, he 
should still be punished. Killing is killing, and he deliberately 
took a man's life with an illegal curse. 

It's not because I think the punishment would do him any good, 
neither is it because I think he would deserve it, but because if 
you let Snape off this time, who knows who might be let off by 
mistake next time? If you do it for a good reason this time, you 
open the door to doing it for a bad reason next time; it compromises 
the process of justice.

Like Steve, I hope that (if DDM!Snape survives book 7) at least some 
information would be available at the trial to show that it was not 
a hate-driven murder for personal gain, and that his sentence would 
therefore be lenient, and I would feel deeply sorry for him. If he 
was let off with nothing, I'd be pleased for Snape in the short 
term, but very disappointed in the WW, and would be almost certain 
that they would be in for another Dark Lord in the near future. 

<snip>
> Otherwise it seems to me that Dumbledore should go to Azkaban, not 
> Snape who after all was only following Dumbledore's orders.

Lol! I can just see Mad-Eye Moody sternly telling Dumbledore's dug-
up corpse that he is under arrest for his own murder! But I'm not 
sure that JKR really approves of the Nuremberg defence; I certainly 
don't. 

Dungrollin