faint hope clause
n.— «Olson owned up to his culpability in 1982 when B.C. authorities agreed to give Olson’s wife $10,000 for each child he killed in exchange for telling them where their bodies and personal effects were. In 1997, Olson applied for early release under what is known as Canada’s faint hope clause. At the hearing, Olson displayed a pornographic picture of a child and grinned at the families of the victims. As a result of that hearing, the faint hope clause was amended making those who commit multiple homicide ineligible for applying for early release.» —“Reconsidering the Death Penalty” by Aaron Goldstein American Daily (Phoeniz, Arizona) Oct. 22, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)