How plausible do we find John Terry's defense?

[Condover]

That he was only repeating words Anton Ferdinand has accused him of saying.

I can't imagine saying those words ever. I'd be very upset to be accused of saying them, but I wouldn't repeat them in my denial, but then I'm not John Terry....

Lepan Someone has seen you for what you really are. A bully.

Lordy! ok, claig yep. I'm a bully. I bully racists.

'Someone has seen you for what you really are'

And it's not a pretty sight.

ironman said that her DH is mixed race. Maybe you should apologise to her, if you are not a bully.

I think he'll get off too ironman, should never have come to court, the prosecutions case is shaky at best... It can't be proved what he did or didn't say!

I shall try to bring my laptop into court today. I (if I can get in) I have been told by court staff that both families will be in the public gallery today, so it wil be packed.

Yes my husband is mixed race (and so partly are my children), and he's not happy about what Lepan has said about me.

I think because I believe in free speech, Lepan can say what she likes or feels about me. I'm sure she says things she feels at the heat of the moment. I take a more measured view. I certainly have with the John Terry trial.

Like I say if I can get into court with the laptop, MNs will be one of the first to hear the verdict. If anyone wants to know the reaction from the Ferdinand family, or John Terry's I'll comment on that as well.

My husband has informed me just now that if they don't have WIFI in the public gallery I won't get the internet, dam! All the journalists are busy each day I have been in, on their laptops, perhaps they are just writing the story.

Everyone have a nice day, including Lepan.

You can tweet from court but that's it-no phones or emailing ironman.

I personally find the suggestion Anton Ferdinand made up a claim JT had abused him, on the spur of the moment, in the middle of a football game, thoroughly implausible. And what is the 'bad blood' and why would AF create this farrago on the back of it?

Whenever a side sums up or does closing speeches is an uncomfortable moment for the opponents: it's all their strong points and your weaknesses highlighted together. Which version the magistrate plumps for remains to be seen.

I don't want to blow anyone's minds here, but you can have children, partners, friends etc, who are not white and still be racist.

Ironman - you sound more like a John Terry fan then someone concerned about free speech.

I think Pan's right to ask the questions if he has if ironman is getting Rio Ferdinand and Anton Ferdinand mixed up.

Maybe it's because they're both black.

And Rio Ferdinand is not inarticulate. He may be undereducated, but that's not the same thing.

He's actually a powerful advocate against bullying.

Oh come on Limited, Rio really isn't the sharpest tool....

Oh and don't let the security staff put you off going in, you don't need a pass for the public gallery!

Oh no are you one of those saddos that watches court cases just because you can? You realise you are intruding on peoples lives don't you?

Of course JT is racist.

People who are not racist don't call black men black cunts.

True nancy66. But he can speak articulately on certain subjects outside football.

For all I know, bullying might be the only one, but it's deserving of praise particularly because most people would be surprised to learn that Rio Ferdinand had ever been bullied in his life.

meh - maybe. Not a lot to choose between him and JT - both lying, cheating, overpaid dimwits

NOT GUILTY!!!!!!!

You are ironman predicted that CharlieBoo and you were both right.
Be interesting to hear what ironman has to report later.

There was no evidence, should never have come to court!!!

sorry, should have been "You and ironman"

i do think it's the right verdict.

So do I nancy because you couldn't prove Terry's intentions. I think it was worth testing in court though.

Everyone still knows JT is a racist scumbag.

Probably right result, but there was plenty of evidence to be tested. (obv doesn't mean JT isn't still a scumbag of various types.) But then according to ironman any person who wanted to enjoy handing out a bit of racist abuse would have no legal constraint from doing so, and even if JT had admitted to racist abuse there would be nothing AF could do about it.
Which isn't any way to conduct a society.

john Terry, not guilty

Today of course was very emotionally charged. The judge read out what he thought were pros and con, of the case were. .The judge then read out the verdict of "not guilty". Well....... the public gallery just erupted into into "yes!!"or other words, and all there agreed it was an absolute nonsense that Terry was in court in the first place.

I also felt sorry for the Ferdinand family, but I also thought, why the hell did the family feel it was right to bring this to court in the first place.

Anyway there was jubilation outside the court, and I felt that if anyone had been in same predicament as Terry, black/white I would have supported them. A woman left the court ,raised a bottle of wine. (I think it was pink) she raised the glass towards the photographers and everyone cheered. The woman
sad,"not guilty! The outside area erupted into applause for John Terry.
All of us in the court received a written statement of why the judgment had been reached.

The verdict was a celebration of a little way towards "freedom of speech". It however does not stop the fact that in this country you can be arrested, imprisoned and put into prison for insulting someone.
I'm sure this law will be tested in the future.

Let me say, JT and AF are one of the same, They are in business together. Anton Ferdinand should never have brought this case. Nothing good will come of it.

As a Christian person, I hope that both men will draw a line under it and move on. But I doubt it.

What an excellent court report ironman. What a pity it's five hours late.

Never mind. Brilliant insights. Ever thought of doing this for a living?

@Amberleaf,

No, everyone does not at all.