freewheelan wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 11:05 am
shanky wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 8:05 am
Bindi wrote: ↑Tue Mar 02, 2021 7:46 am
What was alleged seems plausible based on people's recollections and photo showing the alleged rapist and the victim on the night:
https://www.news.com.au/national/politi ... 7075284bbf
Clearly not an open and shut case, and certainly impossible to prove either way what happened, but this will drag on and on. There's obviously no good outcome for the complainant anymore, and not for the Minister if he's innocent. If he's guilty however, even getting hounded out of politics isn't close to what he deserves. Will not doubt fall into a well-paid board position somewhere.
Let’s face it. His career is now over.
Unlike the Heydon case, or the Shorten case, there is little prospect of getting a satisfactory level of certainty as to guilt
He’s done.
Makes it easier to accept because he’s unpleasant, I guess.
What I found intriguing in what was purported to be the victim's account was how similar it was to Brittany Higgins's account of her sexual assault. As a defense barrister, when you read accounts where the victim isn't trying to fill in memory gaps because of reasons like too much alcohol consumption, you know in cross-examination you will be walking on a minefield. People don't feel the need to make stuff up when they are telling the truth.
You raise an interesting side-point to this debate.
That is, the whole way our legal system is not equipped to deal with he/she said cases, particularly sexual assault.
Victims are harangued on the stand about their sexual behaviour and lifestyle under the assumption this improves the defendant’s right to a fair trial. Even then, apparently less than half of guilty verdicts result in a custodial sentence.
Meanwhile, the court of public opinion would have the accused strung up without much thought. Reputations ruined forever regardless of outcome.
There has to be a better way. Do you know if there is one?