Dealing with a real Death Note

[robvalue]

This is an imaginary fantastical scenario question. For those not interested, please drive through!

For those not familiar, Death Note is a brilliant manga/anime series about a titular magic book, which has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. (There's a bit more to it, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the show yet.)

Pretend this happened for real; or at least, it appeared to. A series of unexplained deaths all happened to be recorded in a book this guy had. Further observation of the guy shows that people continue to inexplicably die shortly after he writes more names (minimum 40 seconds in the show).

What would be the legal implications? If there was no physical evidence that connected him to the murders other than writing their name, could he be held accountable? Would anyone even have grounds to confiscate the book? Would the law eventually have to change, or special consideration be made, assuming he just continued to "kill" people?

[downbeatplumb]

This is an imaginary fantastical scenario question. For those not interested, please drive through!

For those not familiar, Death Note is a brilliant manga/anime series about a titular magic book, which has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. (There's a bit more to it, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the show yet.)

Pretend this happened for real; or at least, it appeared to. A series of unexplained deaths all happened to be recorded in a book this guy had. Further observation of the guy shows that people continue to inexplicably die shortly after he writes more names (minimum 40 seconds in the show).

What would be the legal implications? If there was no physical evidence that connected him to the murders other than writing their name, could he be held accountable? Would anyone even have grounds to confiscate the book? Would the law eventually have to change, or special consideration be made, assuming he just continued to "kill" people?

I want that book!

[Edwardo Piet]

I think eventually even the most skeptical people would come to believe he or at least the book had some sort of magical powers as long as this went on for long enough and then the law itself would have to change around him to accommodate for what he was doing.

[brewer]

Are the killings motivated or is this whim/random/phone book killing?

(phone book, jesus, how archaic)

[The Industrial Atheist]

Once it became known that it was real, the police would come up with trumped up charges and take the guy into custody for as long as possible. From there, things could get tough.

[RoadRunner79]

This is an imaginary fantastical scenario question. For those not interested, please drive through!

For those not familiar, Death Note is a brilliant manga/anime series about a titular magic book, which has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. (There's a bit more to it, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the show yet.)

Pretend this happened for real; or at least, it appeared to. A series of unexplained deaths all happened to be recorded in a book this guy had. Further observation of the guy shows that people continue to inexplicably die shortly after he writes more names (minimum 40 seconds in the show).

What would be the legal implications? If there was no physical evidence that connected him to the murders other than writing their name, could he be held accountable? Would anyone even have grounds to confiscate the book? Would the law eventually have to change, or special consideration be made, assuming he just continued to "kill" people?

If you have evidence that there is a real connection between the two, then do you need to understand how?  You might have to show, that the person knew they where killing people by writing their names in the book, but other than that it doesn't seem that difficult to me.

[robvalue]

I’m thinking that the best hypothesis would be that this guy somehow knows who is going to die and when.

Are the killings motivated or is this whim/random/phone book killing?

(phone book, jesus, how archaic)

Well in the series there is a motive. In this scenario I’m not assuming there is any reason. Maybe they just like knowing how hard it will be to prove.

Once it became known that it was real, the police would come up with trumped up charges and take the guy into custody for as long as possible. From there, things could get tough.

I think you’re right. Some action would have to be taken, but they could hardly publicly state why.

This is an imaginary fantastical scenario question. For those not interested, please drive through!

For those not familiar, Death Note is a brilliant manga/anime series about a titular magic book, which has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. (There's a bit more to it, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the show yet.)

Pretend this happened for real; or at least, it appeared to. A series of unexplained deaths all happened to be recorded in a book this guy had. Further observation of the guy shows that people continue to inexplicably die shortly after he writes more names (minimum 40 seconds in the show).

What would be the legal implications? If there was no physical evidence that connected him to the murders other than writing their name, could he be held accountable? Would anyone even have grounds to confiscate the book? Would the law eventually have to change, or special consideration be made, assuming he just continued to "kill" people?

If you have evidence that there is a real connection between the two, then do you need to understand how?  You might have to show, that the person knew they where killing people by writing their names in the book, but other than that it doesn't seem that difficult to me.

I suspect it wouldn’t be enough in the current legal system. It would be granting a book magic powers.

[Rev. Rye]

Once it became known that it was real, the police would come up with trumped up charges and take the guy into custody for  as long as possible. From there, things could get tough.

Which actually did happen in the show, for the record.

[The Industrial Atheist]

Once it became known that it was real, the police would come up with trumped up charges and take the guy into custody for  as long as possible. From there, things could get tough.

Which actually did happen in the show, for the record.

I did watch it, some years ago. Perhaps it seeped back into my consciousness, a little. But my thought process was that it's something the police will do.

edit: Now I remember the very end of the show. It did indeed get tough.

---

I’m thinking that the best hypothesis would be that this guy somehow knows who is going to die and when.

Are the killings motivated or is this whim/random/phone book killing?

(phone book, jesus, how archaic)

Well in the series there is a motive. In this scenario I’m not assuming there is any reason. Maybe they just like knowing how hard it will be to prove.

Once it became known that it was real, the police would come up with trumped up charges and take the guy into custody for  as long as possible. From there, things could get tough.

I think you’re right. Some action would have to be taken, but they could hardly publicly state why.

If you have evidence that there is a real connection between the two, then do you need to understand how?  You might have to show, that the person knew they where killing people by writing their names in the book, but other than that it doesn't seem that difficult to me.

I suspect it wouldn’t be enough in the current legal system. It would be granting a book magic powers.

The thing is it's, not always enough to prove something happened (which, here would be difficult enough in itself) but to show how and why. I don't think the scientific knowledge of Japan could prove a link to a spirit realm which is what causes the deaths IIRC, and even then how do you prove or explain any of it? Unless magic is just science we don't understand yet.

[brewer]

The book, the name, the person in possession, and then the corresponding death would need to be tested before any conclusion could be made other than coincidence. 

Makes we wonder who would volunteer for testing.