6902: Re: Immunity, Slavin Asks (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: pslavin@unicefusa.org

Re the post by Richard Morse that Senator Dany Toussaint has cited diplomatic 
immunity in the Jean Dominique case, doesn't the constitution "immune" Senators 
and Deputies from criminal prosecutions while in office? Is there a section of 
the constitution or the penal code that lifts the immunity for capital offenses?

A number of other countries have similar protections -- which were ostensibly 
put on the books to protect parliamentarians from authoritarian executive 
branches.

Can constitutional experts comment?  [Corbett adds:  Comment about
Haiti only, please.  thanks]

Patrick