UK: Jealousy no defence for killer husbands, but abused wives can escape a murder charge

Article here. Excerpt:

"Stripping husbands of the right to claim that infidelity was the spur for their actions means they will face a charge of murder, rather than manslaughter.

But women who kill abusive partners in cold blood could escape a murder conviction if they prove they feared more violence.

The most sweeping changes to murder laws in 50 years are part of the Government's controversial Coroners and Justice Bill, to be published today.
...
The new murder rules follow a report from the Government's legal advisers, the Law Commission, which paid deep attention to the claims of feminists that women who kill violent husbands or boyfriends are too harshly treated.

But Robert Whelan of the Civitas think-tank said: 'The Government is making some people more equal than others before the law. It seems some lives are worth more than others.'

Researcher and author on families and the law, Patricia Morgan said: 'They are differentiating between victims. They are saying some groups have excuses because they fall into a different category.'

Mrs Morgan added: 'It seems that women have excuses and men don't.'"