So this seems like the sort of thing you might know: what's the deal with 'treason' just totally disappearing as a criminal...
Anonymous asked: So this seems like the sort of thing you might know: what's the deal with 'treason' just totally disappearing as a criminal charge? It seems like all the laws still exist and the government hasn't become any softer on actual treasonous acts, but they're always handled with more specific and less exciting-sounding charges nowadays
It’s never been used very often in America, tbh, part of it is the Constitution specifically makes it hard to convict on, you need two direct witnesses or a confession in open court (i.e. where you can’t just torture it out of them)
Here’s an unasked but more interesting question: if betraying your country is “high treason”, what’s “low treason”?
And the answer is, petit (petty) treason was betrayal of your superior who was not a sovereign - killing your master, husband, or (as a priest) your commanding officer clergyman