As a federal prosecutor Doar could not prosecute someone for murder, which was a state offence.

The Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia have also abolished common law State offences.

Yet on a technicality that she had actually dealt with the Japanese buyer -she was convicted of a Federal offence, while Richie was convicted of a state offence, carrying a large fine and community service for not reporting a suspected stolen property to the police.

On Aug. 19, 1989, the Rashtriya Panchayat adopted amendments to the 1961 Public Security, Jail and State Offences (Crime and Punishment) Acts, abolishing the death sentence for crimes against the state and curtailing district authorities' powers of arrest and detention.