The trial of the fallen media mogul Conrad Black on racketeering and other charges began this week with a bold opening argument from the assistant US attorney in Chicago. Referring to Lord Black and three associates from Hollinger International, Jeffrey Cramer said: “Bank robbers are masked and they use guns. Burglars wear dark clothing and use crowbars. These men dressed in ties and wore a suit.” The crimes alleged are serious enough – why this need to compare them to more heinous ones?

Especially since, if Lord Black were convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to 101 years in prison, considerably longer than your average bank robber or burglar – or, for that matter, murderer or rapist. It is troubling to see a prosecutor, in a courtroom, resort to language meant to erode distinctions rather than draw them. But blurring the line between violent and non-violent crime has become part of the prosecutor’s stock in trade. Certain politicians do it, too, speaking of “economic violence”. Whether one views this as colourful metaphor or rank demagogy, it is hard to see how it serves justice.