Julie Bindel wants a system that is fair and equitable for rape trials.
One potential solution to this worrying state of affairs is to do away with jurors in sex crime trials, and appoint a specially trained judge.
Ah, she doesn’t want a fair and equitable system at all, she wants show trials and increased convictions. The jury is what stands betwixt us and totalitarianism. Juries are remarkably good at assessing the evidence and coming to a sensible conclusion. And, sometimes, they give the state a two-finger salute. This is a good thing. Far better ten guilty men walk free than one innocent is convicted. The jury is what stands between us and the conviction of the innocent for political means between us and the nightmare dystopia of Bindel’s dreams. What Bindel wants is more convictions even if the accused is not guilty. She is one of those vile harpies who believe accusation is the same thing a guilt. Juries are there as a bastion against the false allegation – and yes, there are such things.
So, no, we do not need a new system. We have one. It ain’t perfect, but it does work. That it does not produce what Bindel wants is a feature, not a bug.
Well, fancy that; she’s writing in the Grauniad . . . SJW propaganda rag of choice.
To be fair, the comments show that not all Groan readers are taken in by this idea. Perhaps there is some hope…
It seems to be an increasing phenomenon. There is indeed hope.
Indeed. Oddly enough I’ve been selected for jury service in Wellington New Zealand at the end of the month. The esteemed High Court no less and if selected I will be required for service for about six weeks. So quite a serious case then. Not your usual petty larceny or raising your voice in a public domain sort of stuff. Depending on the type of case, I may or not be selected. If they want a old curmudgeon with a scant and slippery grip on reality, I’m the man, or ferret, depending on medication cycle.
Six weeks is a long haul. I couldn’t take that much time out.
If it’s anything like the UK system, the ‘six weeks’ bit is just the standard ‘you may be needed for this long’ spiel.
Both my trials lasted no more than three days each (and the second would have been cut by half that if the idiot judge hadn’t let a clear nutcase represent himself).
Oh, yeah, I remember you mentioning that. The defendant who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer…
Dear Longrider
People like that nice Ms Bindel will not be satisfied until 10 innocent men are jailed to ensure that one guilty man doesn’t go free.
They probably wouldn’t care much if it was higher than that: for them, all men are guilty.
DP