trial of alleged rape victim who killed herself

[chaosmonkey]

www.theguardian.com/law/2014/nov/06/call-crown-prosecutors-account-suicide-alleged-rape-victim

A young woman who said she had been raped went on to kill herself after the Crown Prosecution Service put her on trial for making up the allegation in a case originally instigated by her alleged attacker.

A bit speechless, so have just cut and paste initial para - sorry

And DeFreitas may or may not have falsely accused him of rape, the queen may or may not torture kittens for pleasure. Where does that get us exactly? At what point do we accept someone's innocence?

"We" don't need to accept anyone's innocence at any point in a discussion.

Take Clayton McDonald: whilst I "accept" he was found not guilty (of course, no one is actually "found innocent") and hence should keep his job etc, on the balance of probabilities, it's my opinion that the woman he penetrated was unlikely to have had the capacity to consent at the time he penetrated her. A jury considered him not gullty of rape beyond reasonable doubt and so he continues as before, in line with the legal system.

I wonder what Mr Economou will do next.
Someone that vindictive and entitled (and rich) is unlikely to give up trying to get their way. I think there'll be another round of legal action but on what possible grounds I cannot imagine.

His lawyers have said they are considering the grounds for an appeal.

A decent man would know when a family has been punished enough.

Mr Economou sounds far from being a decent man.

This is where i have a problem

Accused of rape but found not guilty - might be a rapist, might not. I wont think any further on the matter

He takes a private prosecution - ok its his prerogative seems a bit vindictive to me but none of my business

Young lady kills herself, he keeps trying to drag her name through the mud and goes after her family

Ok now i think he is protesting too much...and i am getting the sneaking feeling that he might not be innocent

The more he pushes the more i think that there is something more to the story

I would think his actions are keeping his name in the public eye, linked to a rape allegation, far more than just dropping it would!

Indeed.

As ever with rape, it is all about the actions of the man. Look at his sense of entitlement, his lack of caring, his bullying and harassment. They are key.

He is telling us what he is like. Believe him.

Well, exactly, Scallops. We see him.

Thank you for reporting my post earlier, everyone, I hope we can update the rape myths section, because I don't know about you, but I've had a fucking gutful of rape apologising at the moment.

"Innocent until proven guilty" simply means that, were one to have dealings with mr economou, one couldn't treat him as if he was a criminal with respect to offering him a job, renting him a flat etc.

It doesn't even mean that, does it? There's no legal reason anyone couldn't refuse Economou a job or a flat. "Innocent until proven guilty" simply means that in criminal court proceedings the default presumption is innocent, and no more than that.

NDT, by " treat him as if he was a criminal with respect to offering him a job, renting him a flat" - I meant Economu would pass a DBS check, wouldn't be on the sex offenders' register etc.

Whether or not any of us considered his character and actions ruled him out of such a job/flat is something different.

I think we are broadly saying similar things though - "innocent until proven guilty" is about legal status not shutting down opinions on guilt!

I think it very interesting that one of Mr Economou's friends testified against him in the harassment case.

This is awful. How was this even allowed to happen.

MyPeriodFeatures that is what the deFreitas family have tried to understand.

Didn’t except that to happen tbf

Fuck off Alexander what a ridiculous place to post that.

So do you have not an ounce of sympathy for Eleanor or empathy for her family? Is it really all about poor Alexander?

What did you expect by posting the link to your self serving whingefest blog? Are you sorry that you didn't get your day in court? Do you feel in any way responsible for her taking her life? Was revenge worth it?

I'm sorry for anyone falsely accused. I'm sorrier for anyone pushed to self destruction.

[anger]

She wasn’t pushed. She made an allegation that was at least unfounded - and possibly malicious. That backfired and she wasn’t able to cope with consequences of that.

It’s sad. But it’s not for her (alleged) victim to take responsibility for her tragedy.

TBH it would best for the thread to be taken down.

Good grief, regardless of the rights and wrongs of this, Mr Alexander, a young woman took her own life, and her father did what any parent should do, believed his daughter.
His daughter is now dead, she killed herself.
Practice letting go and forgiving. You still have your life; enjoy it.