Were the Jedi justified in removing Palpatine?

[SuperSaiyaMan12]

Until TPM came out, we NEVER had any clue how the Jedi were stuctured or orginized. So my version is just as plausable, and would have worked alot better IMO than what they had. Mine would have been a greater loss. The one that existed NEEDED to fall before they really DID take control of the Senate. Hell, just because a Sith was leading the Senate they felt justified in removing him and putting there own man in. What laws could they PROVE Palpatine broke again? Or did they just make an arbitrary decision?

Well Palpatine was playing both sides of the War, and was technically a traitor.

[Tyyr]

From my viewpoint it does look like the Jedi considered themselves to be either above the law or the law itself. The didn't want Palp in charge so they were going to remove him regardless.

Well Palpatine was playing both sides of the War, and was technically a traitor.

Except at that time they had no proof of that. At most they had one Knight's opinion that Palp was a dark side user.

[Mark]

True, but to borrow a phrase

It doesn't matter what I believe, it only matters what I can prove!

(cookie for reference)

All they could go on at that point was that Palpitine was a Sith, so apparently religious freedom doesn't exist in the Repulic. They didn't yet know of his double dealings, aside from Dooku working for the Trade Federation.

[SuperSaiyaMan12]

True, but to borrow a phrase

It doesn't matter what I believe, it only matters what I can prove!

(cookie for reference)

All they could go on at that point was that Palpitine was a Sith, so apparently religious freedom doesn't exist in the Repulic. They didn't yet know of his double dealings, aside from Dooku working for the Trade Federation.

Well the Sith have been Enemies of the Republic, actively trying to destroy it and the Jedi. The Sith have fought the Republic over thousands of years, after all, until they were 'wiped out' at Ruusan.

[Tyyr]

So someone even indirectly accused of being a Sith can be arrested on that charge alone? Wow, kinda dark.

[Tsukiyumi]

So someone even indirectly accused of being a Sith can be arrested on that charge alone? Wow, kinda dark.

Yeah, good thing nothing like that can ever happen in reality.

[SuperSaiyaMan12]

So someone even indirectly accused of being a Sith can be arrested on that charge alone? Wow, kinda dark.

Palpatine confessed he was a Sith to Anakin, if you recall.

And no. Not anyone can be considered a Sith. Remember Ventress? She tried to be a Sith, but could never become one.

[Tyyr]

So Palpatine's crime was telling someone "I'm a Sith." No evidence of any other wrong doing, just "I'm a Sith," and you're arrested? Ventress, doesn't matter if the Sith don't consider her a Sith. To the Galaxy she was using the dark side and swinging a red lightsaber, to most that would be evidence she was a Sith. I doubt even the Jedi are exactly down on who is and isn't a Sith at the moment.

[Captain Seafort]

So Palpatine's crime was telling someone "I'm a Sith." No evidence of any other wrong doing, just "I'm a Sith," and you're arrested?

There was other evidence against him as well (although I think the word of a Senior General in the Grand Army of the Republic is sufficient to warrant serious investigation) - there was solid evidence that an individual in contact with Nute Gunray had operated out of the Works, and based on backtracking through a passageway it was highly likely that said individual lived in 500 Republica. Moreover, recordings existed of the individual in contact with Gunray, which if voice-analysed would produce a close match to Palpatine. Finally, there are the Sith artefacts in Palpatine's quarters, plus at least one operational lightsaber.

[Tyyr]

I still have to point out, none of that was connected to Palpatine yet. The Jedi were going there to arrest him, not question or detain but arrest, solely because he said to Anakin I'm a Sith. It might merit investigation and that investigation would have likely turned up a lot of what Palp had been doing but when Mace said "You're under arrest," all he could actually pin on Palp was, "I'm a Sith."

[Captain Seafort]

The Jedi were going there to arrest him, not question or detain but arrest

And? They had due cause to believe he was guilty of treason, therefore they investigated, part of which involved arresting the suspect to prevent him tampering with any evidence, and to remove a threat to the public. They had no intention of killing him until he started killing Jedi.

It might merit investigation and that investigation would have likely turned up a lot of what Palp had been doing but when Mace said "You're under arrest," all he could actually pin on Palp was, "I'm a Sith."

You seem to be equating arresting Palpatine with charging him. Moreover, the very fact of Palpatine being a Sith, based on Jedi knowledge of the Rule of Two, meant that Palpatine must have been Dooku's Master or Apprentice, and therefore a central member of the Confederacy. He was therefore guilty of treason.

[kostmayer]

A Few Good Men.

Wasn't gonna comment but I'm out of cookies.

[Mark]

They were going to remove a HEAD OF STATE from office, on sheer suspiscion at that point. Nothing more was proven than Anakin said "He's a Sith."

Even today, except in some less than admirable juristicions can you be arrested on a charge without a shread of HARD PROOF before hand.

And who would the Jedi have instilled into power? Somebody of they're choosing? Taken temporary command of the government themselves "for the time being" or what? They couldn't just leave the Republic leaderless in wartime.

[Aaron]

If you remove the Prime Minister of Canada from his post then the Deputy PM takes over. I find it hard to believe that the Republic lacked such a basic feature.

[Captain Seafort]

They were going to remove a HEAD OF STATE from office, on sheer suspiscion at that point. Nothing more was proven than Anakin said "He's a Sith."

Even today, except in some less than admirable juristicions can you be arrested on a charge without a shread of HARD PROOF before hand.

So if a senior US general had stated that Bush had told him that he (Bush) and bin Laden were one and the same person, with supporting evidence, you wouldn't call that justification for arresting Bush?

And who would the Jedi have instilled into power? Somebody of they're choosing? Taken temporary command of the government themselves "for the time being" or what? They couldn't just leave the Republic leaderless in wartime.

The plan was for the Jedi Council to establish an interim administration until a new Chancellor could be elected.