221 / 07 / 07 - Murder charges reduced

Following the near total destruction of the council at the hands of Bowin Gableson, the sole remaining councillor, Nys of Westerfield, has been setting about removing any trace of Bowin's influence.  Documents recovered from Bowin's home revealed a network of influence over powerful figures in the council and the patrol.  many of those were caught in the blast that destroyed the first floor of the council building, but several, such as the judges who preside over criminal trials were not among the victims.  As the judges had been shown to have been unduly influenced by the chief of Bowin's Lackeys, former Councillor Rose Factor,  Councillor Nyls has had the judges removed and requested that for the time being, matters of judgement be handled by Acceptors of Merial from the crematorium.  The acceptors have been authorised to use truth seeking spells while speaking to the accused and accusors and all trials will be held publically to show that there is nothing untoward happening.
As part of their duties the Acceptors will also be revewing some cases where it is believed that Rose Factor had to much influence over the decision.  One of the first of the cases that has been reviewed concerned the notorious adventuring group known as the Chimera Crew.  This group had been accused of murder and assault of members of the patrol, and had been judged in their absence without being allowed to make a case for themselves.  According to testimony collected by the Acceptors under a truth spell, the Chimera Crew attacked a warehouse to rescue a gnome who had been kidnapped.  They did not bring this to the Patrol's attention as they were aware that the leader of the Patrol, Vyken Guardian (son of Rose Factor), was under the thrall of Bowin.  The testimony also revealed that early conclusions drawn by the patrol were correct in that their colleagues were killed by only one of the crew, and that this person acted without the consent of the rest of the group.  While this person, a human called Lindon Silvesmith, felt his actions were justified it cannot be denied that he did commit murder.  However, given the circumstances the Acceptors agreed that the original punishment of death was excessive. 
The charges of murder have therefore been dropped against Payle Vinlor, Keldis Nadlebeck, and Torgan Ve, though they have been ordered to pay a fine of 20gp each as punishment for disturbing the peace and trepassing.
The charges of murder against Lindon Silversmith have been upheld, but the punishment has been reduced from death to a fine of 40gp and exile from Chirin.  The bounties on the heads of the Chimera Crew have also been removed.  Several other charges against the Chimera Crew, including a charge of theft have also been dismissed as the actions of the Chimera were found to have been in the best interests of Chirin as a whole.