Sir Baris wrote:I wasn't suggesting we torture a confession out of Vemion- rather that we torture a confession out of those around him.
Yes, I understood what you meant, but the point was no one else matters. Two parties: King, earl. Even the accuser is basically irrelevant unless of the same rank.
Sir Baris wrote:Not so much to get the law on our side and let the king handle it, but rather as a way to provide legal cover when we kill Vemion should any blame fall upon us.
There is no legal cover for a knight who kills an earl. If you get caught, expect to meet the business end of an axe.
Sir Baris wrote:If the king said something about it, our response could be, "What, his servants/vassal admitted in open court his plots against us? Would you tell these nobles gathered here they cannot defend themselves if they are attacked?"
The King's response would be something to the effect of you are expected to bring the case to me as the overlord of you both, not take the law of my realm into your owns hands. See axe, above.
Keep in mind this is a matter of power and politics, not law. The political consequences to Haldan of allowing a knight to get away with killing an earl -
no matter under what circumstances - would imperil his throne. The only possible exceptions would be in a tournament or if on opposing sides in battle (q.v. Rebellion above).
Remember, a knight can kill a commoner with impunity and for no reason. At most, the penalty would be some sort of restitution, and then only of the victim was wealthy and/or powerful for some reason. It is no different a little higher up the social scale. The King would rightly see the murder of an earl as but a step away from his own murder. The stakes, dear friends, are very high indeed when one dices for a kingdom.