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Original poster

That Absolutely Amazing Woman

246 replies

MrsJackRackham · 02/04/2023 13:27

I've just read about the woman who gave evidence against the killer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel. What a fucking brave and phenomenal woman. She will have to go into witness protection and leave her whole life behind but she knew it was the right thing to do. And she gave the defence lawyer a mouthful as well by the sounds of it.
I could actually cry thinking about her.

OP posts:
HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:50

x2boys · 03/04/2023 21:42

This person responsible for Olivia ,s murder is deplorable but like it or not everybody is entitled to.a fair trial.and representation otherwise we wouldn't have a justice system.

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Entitled they may be but I still question the morality of somebody who makes such an endeavour their bread and butter.

Every once in a while (and more than that in cases of rape) they will succeed in securing a verdict of non guilt when they must have reasonable casue to believe that this is not morally just, even if legally it is deemed to be so.

x2boys · 03/04/2023 21:50

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:47

I can assure you that I am.

I have been interrogated by a barrister who was defending a rapist. A more abhorrent article I hope never to encounter again.

They are not all mere well recompensed victims of circumstance and your appeals to the contrary shall not convince me otherwise.

I feel quite content to extrapolate my experience of this particular profession thank you very much.

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In sorry you you went through that but that's their job to.cross examine witnesses so hopefully the truth n will prevail.

nothingcomestonothing · 03/04/2023 21:51

They are not all mere well recompensed victims of circumstance and your appeals to the contrary shall not convince me otherwise.

I feel quite content to extrapolate my experience of this particular profession thank you very much.

You don't seem to understand that the barrister has no choice - they have to take a client they get offered, and they have to do their best to defend them or otherwise it could lead to an appeal and the criminal getting let off. They aren't choosing to side with the defendant.

I also agree the woman who testified did the right thing and should be proud.

kittenkipping · 03/04/2023 21:51

Very brave woman. I hope she has a happy life.

The lack of full understanding of the role of a barrister is very common and misunderstand is fuelled hugely by politicians, the press and media. It's not fair to attack people for being ignorant of a process that is often misrepresented, sometimes cloaked in intentional mystery, and commonly understood from more of a Hollywood movie presentation than anything resembling real life.

x2boys · 03/04/2023 21:51

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:50

Entitled they may be but I still question the morality of somebody who makes such an endeavour their bread and butter.

Every once in a while (and more than that in cases of rape) they will succeed in securing a verdict of non guilt when they must have reasonable casue to believe that this is not morally just, even if legally it is deemed to be so.

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So what do you suggest we do instead ,just assume everybody who had been charged with a crime is guilty ?

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 21:52

Oh behave @HotSince82 Just because you try to use big words and haughty language doesn’t mean you’re right. If you think it’s ok to malign an entire profession based on a single encounter, you are way off the mark.

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:53

x2boys · 03/04/2023 21:50

In sorry you you went through that but that's their job to.cross examine witnesses so hopefully the truth n will prevail.

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Believe me;

The one who interrogated me had no recourse to the truth of the matter. He wanted to get his client off the hook. That was his job, after all.

He didn't accept it to do make a pigs ear of it and to think that others somehow might is simply naive.

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 03/04/2023 21:55

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:53

Believe me;

The one who interrogated me had no recourse to the truth of the matter. He wanted to get his client off the hook. That was his job, after all.

He didn't accept it to do make a pigs ear of it and to think that others somehow might is simply naive.

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No one has said that barristers accept jobs to make a pigs ear of it…theyve got to do it to the best of their ability

Entitled they may be but I still question the morality of somebody who makes such an endeavour their bread and butter

most barristers defend and prosecute

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:55

x2boys · 03/04/2023 21:51

So what do you suggest we do instead ,just assume everybody who had been charged with a crime is guilty ?

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Not at all.

I simply reserve my right to view the profession dishonourably and to express this view in the public sphere as I see fit.

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 03/04/2023 21:55

So youve got a problem with the prosecuting barrister as well?

AllIeveknewonlyou · 03/04/2023 21:56

Poor lady. Strong and brave.

There is no chance I would ever give up my friends for life, I'd have to have an intermediary, no bloody way

RufustheSpeculatingreindeer · 03/04/2023 21:56

MrsJackRackham

yes, a very brave woman

RiktheButler · 03/04/2023 22:00

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 21:55

Not at all.

I simply reserve my right to view the profession dishonourably and to express this view in the public sphere as I see fit.

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You are, very clearly, suggesting that accused people dint have the right to a robust defence. Which is frankly fucking abhorrent

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 22:01

@HotSince82 also believes that barristers share the same moral values as their clients. What a joke.

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 22:04

RiktheButler · 03/04/2023 22:00

You are, very clearly, suggesting that accused people dint have the right to a robust defence. Which is frankly fucking abhorrent

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No, as I have said many times already; they absolutely have a legal right to such representation.

What they don't have is the right to demand that I personally view their representatives as morally benign.

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 22:06

So you have absolutely no concept of the cab-rank rule @HotSince82 meaning that barristers, like taxi drivers, have absolutely no choice who they have as clients?

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 22:06

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 22:01

@HotSince82 also believes that barristers share the same moral values as their clients. What a joke.

I believe that they are sufficiently lacking in moral fibre as to make a case which may extend to a person whom they personally strongly suspect of a crime walking free from court.

RiktheButler · 03/04/2023 22:06

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 22:04

No, as I have said many times already; they absolutely have a legal right to such representation.

What they don't have is the right to demand that I personally view their representatives as morally benign.

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So you don't object to them doing their job, you object to them doing their job.

Right.

Grow up

determinedtomakethiswork · 03/04/2023 22:07

That woman has obviously done the right thing and will have a tough life as a result. However she was sleeping with a married violent drug dealer, let's not forget that.

DonnaRix · 03/04/2023 22:07

Yeah ok Jolyon.

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 22:07

You do realise they can’t represent people they know are guilty @HotSince82?

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 22:08

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 22:06

So you have absolutely no concept of the cab-rank rule @HotSince82 meaning that barristers, like taxi drivers, have absolutely no choice who they have as clients?

It's academic though isn't it?

By undertaking the rol of a defence counsel in criminal Court they are presumably aware of the potential for their actions to necessitate an offender being deemed not guilty.

That is not a morally benign position.

Watercoloursky · 03/04/2023 22:09

Ultimately, if younthink about it, defence lawyers defend the legal system. They defend justice. They test the prosecution's case to the best of their ability, and thereby ensure that any resulting conviction is as secure and fair as it can be. If they can poke enough holes in it to create reasonable doubt, then who's to say it wouldn't be overturned later on appeal. They do a really vital job. And of course everyone has the right to representation and for their representative to do their job to the best of their ability.

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 22:09

user146539089 · 03/04/2023 22:07

You do realise they can’t represent people they know are guilty @HotSince82?

Know and suspect are not synonyms.

HotSince82 · 03/04/2023 22:11

RiktheButler · 03/04/2023 22:06

So you don't object to them doing their job, you object to them doing their job.

Right.

Grow up

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I can't legally object.

I reserve the right to question their morals.

The two are not mutually exclusive as I'm certain you can appreciate.