The United States is a country known for its complex and strict legal system. So it may seem strange to discover that there, an area exists where crimes are considered as null and void. It’s possible to commit a crime and not even receive the least possible punishment.
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A zone of total impunity
This is exactly what Brian Kalt, an American law professor discovered. It allows anyone to commit murder in a specific area of Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, without the risk of being convicted. That's exactly why it's commonly referred to as the Zone of Death. But just how is it possible, you ask?
Simply because this 130 squared kilometres (52 squared miles) area is a federal territory that is straddled across three separate states. According to Brian Kalt, since national parks are under the exclusive management of the federal state, criminal trials must be held in the state in which the crime was committed and only with a jury from that state. What makes this phenomenal area lawless is that it would be impossible to constitute a jury if a crime was committed there.
The US Ministry of Justice not concerned
On the back of this discovery, the professor was quick to point out this legal anomaly to the US Ministry of Justice who has ignored the professor's request to fix this loophole. This phenomenon reminds us of the film The Purge, in a near-future dystopian American where an annual national holiday called the Purge occurs. For a 12 hour period once a year, all crimes, including murder are legal. Perhaps they got the idea from bizarre federal territory!
No known felonies have been committed since Kalt's discovery.
Check out the video above to find out more about this bizarre legal loophole!