Posts by Russell Brown

Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First

  • Not Guilty,

    I understand people's discomfort with the propensity rules, but another way of looking at the matter is that the Crown has unlimited resources with which to pursue someone. In most cases the defendant's resources are minimal. And in most cases that go to trial the defendant loses.

    Oddly enough, I'm pretty sure I read someone from the prosecution team complaining that while they had to disclose everything to the defence, the defence could take months assemble its expert witnesses and only unveil them when they got to court ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Mt Albert Old-School,

    I still don't think they're presenting themselves in such a way as to assure the public that they have policies on things other than clean rivers and carbon, but they're moving there.

    And I still don't think they've got to grips with real electoral campaigning. I might be doing them a disservice, but they don't seem to have done the unglamorous footsoldier stuff, and, as I said, the hoardings suggested they thought they could just re-run last year's general election campaign.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Mt Albert Old-School,

    Thanks Craig.

    From memory, I put it to Norman that he'd been seen, even by some Green Party members, as being unduly aggressive towards Shearer, and he acknowledged that he had and regretted it. I was impressed by that.

    He also clarified what he actually meant to say about Shearer -- that he came from the "grey machine" side of the Labour Party, rather than that he was a "grey man".

    Mind you, Melissa Lee conspicuously failed to present as an evil witch in her interview too.

    The shock conclusion appears to be that they're all human.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Swine flu, terror and Susan Boyle,

    Um, this may be something we shouldn't be discussing here, just for the sake of everyone's comfort. Try here instead.

    Interesting, but yeah ...

    I did actually try and sort it out offline with robbery, but it didn't work. There's a point where it's just not fair for someone to demand so bloody much of my attention.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Swine flu, terror and Susan Boyle,

    I think some people were getting tired of your patience to be honest ;)

    Yeah, probably. I just didn't want to look like I was shutting someone down.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Not Guilty,

    I just had another look at DPF's list of things the jury would have to get past to find Bain not guilty.

    Interesting comparison with Jarrod Booker's reasons to acquit in the Weekend Herald.

    It strikes me that there would have been at least as much doubt -- and perhaps more -- in an attempt to prove Robin Bain's guilt as David's, but he, of course, was not on trial.

    It still seems a a paradox to me that the defence was able to introduce some pretty tenuous stuff to depict a propensity to murder on Robin's part -- the school essays, the bookmark in a book in the caravan -- but something similar, and arguably more compelling, was ruled out as prejudicial with respect to David. I understand why -- Robin was not the defendant -- but it is a paradox.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Not Guilty,

    And I suppose it's worth noting that the jury cane back to the judge to ask about the exact meaning of "reasonable" doubt", which would suggest that at least one member wasn't thinking in terms of comprehensive innocence.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Not Guilty,

    We're going through the reporting for this week's TV show. Some of it is really quite embarrassing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Swine flu, terror and Susan Boyle,

    I've suspended the accounts of both sachae grey (aka pfj) and robbery.

    I'll email both of them, but "sachae" was acting out, and when I realised that we were approaching two years of the same confrontations between robbery and anyone who took exception to his style of argument, I decided I just didn't want it any more.

    I don't think I can be accused of not being patient.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Not Guilty,

    Would you then want to hug the accused? And go to a party with him?

    That did occur to me. OTOH, some of the jury's conduct could be seem to verge on an inappropriate level of emotional investment in the defendant.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

Last ←Newer Page 1 1587 1588 1589 1590 1591 2279 Older→ First