# Siamese twins and the law

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siamese-twins-and-the-law/332798>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 26, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siamese-twins-and-the-law/332798 "2005-11-26T13:47:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siamese-twins-and-the-law/332798/1 "2005-11-26T13:47:40Z")

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What would happen if a siamese twin commited some crime, murder for example, was caught and found guilty in court, could they be imprisoned? Assume that the other siamese twin played no part in the crime, let’s pretend the other twin was asleep, and is therefore completely innocent. Would it be legal to send them both to prison, imprisoning one for a crime they didn’t commit?

This question is inspired by watching the T.V. show Q.I. where Stephen Fry tells the story of one siamese twin who punched someone and was found guilty of assault but was allowed to walk free because sending him to prison would constitute false imprisonment of the other twin. In this case the crime was minor so I imagine not much thought was given to the unique situation but what if the crime was murder, would the same false imprisonment rule apply and effectively grant the twins immunity from imprisonment?

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siamese-twins-and-the-law/332798/2 "2005-11-26T16:44:49Z")

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That is exactly the plotline of the 1951 movie [Chained for Life](http://imdb.com/title/tt0043397/), starring the _original_ Hilton sisters, Daisy and Violet. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, though, so I can’t remember the conclusion it comes to . . .

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siamese-twins-and-the-law/332798/3 "2005-11-26T21:12:11Z")

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[Earlier thread on this question.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246510)

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**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/siamese-twins-and-the-law/332798/4 "2005-11-26T21:35:24Z")

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> [@Eve](#):
>
> …the _original_ Hilton sisters, Daisy and Violet.

I’m glad I’m not the only person who [thinks of them that way](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6075208&postcount=20). (Oh, look, I was shamelessly trying to attract your attention there, too. :D)