"He needed killing": It's not a joke. As I was taught in my Texas CHL class (the instructor was a retired magistrate) it's a valid legal defense. Of course, the catch is that you still have to convince the legal authorities that he needed killing.
Benjamin Franklin's quote most certainly is applicable to this situation. Ben Franklin was instrumental in the birth of the country; his opinions influenced the laws of the new nation. A first-hand statement of those opinions--an interpretation of the reasoning behind the laws--is most certainly important in interpreting whether or not something follows the spirit of that law.
And if you don't think that the spirit of the law as written is important, I give you up.
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Benjamin Franklin's quote most certainly is applicable to this situation. Ben Franklin was instrumental in the birth of the country; his opinions influenced the laws of the new nation. A first-hand statement of those opinions--an interpretation of the reasoning behind the laws--is most certainly important in interpreting whether or not something follows the spirit of that law.
And if you don't think that the spirit of the law as written is important, I give you up.