Double Trouble

Peter Hitchens writes:

I am sorry but I cannot rejoice at the planned retrial of a suspect in the Stephen Lawrence murder case.

The rule against being tried twice for the same offence is a keystone of freedom. And to work, it has to be a rule, even when it breaks our hearts to obey it. For if it is not absolute, then one day a bad government will use this as a precedent to pursue and crush opponents. Why do we care so little about these great treasures of liberty? Perhaps we no longer deserve to have them.