All posts tagged: defendants

Experts dissect ‘enigma’ of defendant’s ‘split personality’

Experts dissect ‘enigma’ of defendant’s ‘split personality’

Published by Sam

Dominique Pelicot’s lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, speaks to the press at the Avignon courthouse, France, September 9, 2024. MANON CRUZ / REUTERS Dominique Pelicot appeared in court for precisely two minutes on Monday, September 9. This was the time it took for lawyer Béatrice Zavarro to mention her client’s “intestinal difficulties” and “possible urinary infection,” and to get the presiding judge Roger Arata to excuse him from this sixth day of hearings, which would be entirely focused on him. It was therefore, strangely, in his absence that a personality analyst, an expert psychologist and two psychiatrists took turns before the criminal court in Avignon, southeastern France, to dissect the background and profile of Pelicot, whose reactions to certain statements made on the stand would have been welcome. “No salient personality traits,” “correct relationship with reality,” “no mental pathology,” “no psychiatric antecedents,” listed the specialists who had examined Pelicot. He was also described by close friends and family, during the course of the investigation, as “an undeniably present and loving father,” “very involved in the education of …

Who Were the Most Notorious Nuremberg Trial Defendants?

Who Were the Most Notorious Nuremberg Trial Defendants?

Published by skeptic

  With Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945, many influential Nazis were arrested. The Allies set up the International Military Tribunal (IMT) as discussed during wartime meetings. The main powers nominated a judge and a deputy to conduct the trials. In an ironic twist, the Allies decided to hold the trials in Nuremberg, the center of Nazi ideology. The charges included crimes against humanity, against peace, and conspiracy. The Nuremberg Trial defendants numbered in the hundreds. Twelve of the worst were hung. To confirm their deaths, the Allies cremated the remains, scattering the ashes. The Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, with two dozen of the most hardened Nazis being arraigned. The following Nazis were the most insidious.    Herman Goering Goering on Trial Source: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum   The pompous Herman Goering, former head of the Luftwaffe and Hitler’s one-time heir, pleaded he only followed orders. As early as 1939, Goering knew exterminating Jews would soon start. In 1942, following Hitler’s orders, he had the SS begin the plan that became the …

Many think Trump being treated differently than other criminal defendants: Poll

Many think Trump being treated differently than other criminal defendants: Poll

Published by skeptic

A majority of Americans believe former President Trump is being treated differently than most criminal defendants in his hush money case, according to a new CNN poll. Trump’s hush money trial began last Monday, marking the first criminal trial of a former American president. He has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to reimbursements to his attorney at the time, Michael Cohen, who paid an adult film actor $130,000 prior to the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump, which he denies. Another recent poll from The Economist/YouGov found that 24 percent of surveyed Americans think the former president is going to be convicted of a crime in the hush money case, 36 percent said they don’t think the former president will be convicted and 39 percent said they weren’t sure. The same poll found that 43 percent of surveyed Americans think Trump should be convicted of a crime in the case, 37 percent think he shouldn’t be and 20 percent are unsure. Following the second …

Trump Media insider trading defendants signal possible guilty pleas

Trump Media insider trading defendants signal possible guilty pleas

Published by skeptic

A Florida venture capitalist and his brother moved Monday toward potential guilty pleas in an insider trading case connected to the merger that took Donald Trump’s social media company public last week. Michael Shvartsman, the venture capitalist, and his brother, Gerald Shvartsman, both previously pleaded not guilty to criminal charges of insider trading and conspiracy, related to trading shares in of the shell company that merged with Trump Media last week. A new court filing Monday revealed that a change of plea hearing for the brothers will be held Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. A change of plea hearing typically involves a defendant pleading guilty. Also Monday, New York defense attorney Alan Futerfas filed a notice with the court that he had joined Michael Shvartsman’s legal team. Futerfas has represented Donald Trump in the past, as well as Trump’s adult children and his company, the Trump Organization, in various legal matters. In a brief phone call with CNBC on Monday, Futerfas said he could not talk about the case and whether Shvartsman …

Trump vows to free Jan. 6 defendants as one of his first acts if elected

Trump vows to free Jan. 6 defendants as one of his first acts if elected

Published by skeptic

Former President Donald Trump said Monday that one of his first acts as president if he wins in November would be to “free” those charged and convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. It appeared to be the first time that he has definitively referred to releasing the Jan. 6 defendants as a Day One priority. A Trump campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond Monday night to a request to provide further details on the post. Trump has repeatedly called on President Joe Biden to “release” the Jan. 6 defendants and has suggested he would be likely pardon a large number of them if he is elected in November. He also regularly characterizes the defendants as “hostages,” a comparison the White House has called “grotesque.” Nearly 500 people have been sentenced to incarceration over the riot on …

Gina Carano questions Disney’s lack of response to Pedro Pascal’s social media posts on trans rights

Gina Carano questions Disney’s lack of response to Pedro Pascal’s social media posts on trans rights

Published by Sam

Fired Mandalorian actor Gina Carano has questioned posts shared by her former co-star Pedro Pascal in a new lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm. The actor, 41, is suing the studios for discrimination and wrongful termination after the former MMA fighter was dropped from the Star Wars spin-off in February 2021 after sharing a social media post in which she appeared to compare the Republican experience in the US to that of Jewish people during the Holocaust. On Tuesday (6 February), Carano, who played special forces warrior character Cara Dune, filed a lawsuit against her firing, citing the damaging of her reputation and discrimination based on her gender. In a section titled “Social Media Posts from Carano’s Co-Stars”, the lawsuit at one stage questioned Disney and Lucasfilm’s lack of response to posts shared on X/Twitter by her former co-star Pascal, with whom she previously claimed to reach an agreement with over their opposing beliefs. The lawsuit reads: “Carano respects the rights of her co-stars to express their views on social media, even if they differ from …

As a lawyer, I know bogus libel claims can bankrupt honest defendants. The English courts must change | Rupert Cowper-Coles

As a lawyer, I know bogus libel claims can bankrupt honest defendants. The English courts must change | Rupert Cowper-Coles

Published by skeptic

As a media defence ­lawyer, I spend a lot of my time advising clients who wish to publish contentious material – typically articles, books or podcasts that contain damaging allegations. The ­client generally believes the allegations are true or at least supported by sufficient evidence to make publication in the public interest, both of which are defences to libel. Of all the advice I give pre-publication, it is explaining the costs of defending a libel claim that is the most sobering for the media. Regardless of how rigorously a story has been investigated or its importance to public debate, understanding how ruinously expensive fighting media litigation is can make the most battle-hardened journalist pause for thought. Punches are pulled and important stories are “spiked” altogether. Sometimes this is right, but often it is a public disservice. It stifles legitimate debate. With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear there should have been more public scrutiny of the increasing prevalence of Russian oligarchs in British public life, the rumours swirling around Jimmy Savile and the corners …