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Basically, one contended issue was if there was a proof that something important happened: if a razor blade was found by Assange. Prosecution initially claimed
by acqq 6y ago
Basically, one contended issue was if there was a proof that something important happened: if a razor blade was found by Assange. Prosecution initially claimed it hasn't. Then the direct evidence of the event was shown by the defense, written by a reporting officer. Then the prosecution claimed something like "but there was no punishment of Assange by the Prison Governor".
Then:
"Baraitser, [the judge] who was aware that this was a major car crash, grasped at the same straw Lewis was clinging to in desperation, and said that if the charge had been dismissed, then there was no proof the razor blade existed. Fitzgerald pointed out this was absurd. The charge may have been dismissed for numerous reasons. The existence of the blade was not in doubt. Julian Assange had attested to it and two prison warders had attested to it. Baraitser said that she could only base her view on the decision of the Prison Governor."
"On Thursday Edward Fitzgerald [defense] handed the record of the prison hearing where the charge was discussed to Baraitser. It was a long document. The Governor’s decision was at paragraph 19. Baraitser told Fitzgerald she could not accept the document as it was new evidence. Fitzgerald told her she had herself asked for the outcome of the charge. He said the document contained very interesting information. Baraitser said that the Governor’s decision was at paragraph 19, that was all she had asked for, and she would refuse to take the rest of the document into consideration."
Basically, the document seems to contain the statement that the razor blade was found (edit: or, as some point out, something else that would be very inconvenient for the prosecution). The judge refuses to accept the document even after saying that "she could only base her view on the decision of the Prison Governor" appearing to cherry picking only one paragraph of the existing document which doesn't contain the claim.
If true, that's definitely a new low that I couldn't have imagined could happen.
Everybody should read the whole report to see for themselves even more details about what was happening there.
- jjgreen 6y agoI never thought I'd see the day when a judge is so obviously guilty of perjury.
- matthewheath 6y agoWhy is the judge guilty of perjury? Certainly her decisions have been questionable, and she will probably be criticised by the High Court, but perjury is specifically about lying under oath -- and she hasn't done that.
- jjgreen 6y ago"if the charge had been dismissed, then there was no proof the razor blade existed" is an out-and-out lie (as well as a ridiculous non-sequitur), there is proof in the documents she will not admit to the court. In the UK, judges are required take the Judicial oath: https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/the-judiciary-the-government-and-the-constitution/oaths/ https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/the-judiciary-t...
- matthewheath 6y agoYes, they are - but it's not perjury which relates specifically to witnesses and interpreters. It could well be misconduct in public office, or something though.
- vimax 6y agoClearly, she has not lied under oath. It is the prosecution that lied in misleading the witness on material facts, in which she is assisting. In these new times we might say she has conspired to commit perjury in High Court.
- matthewheath 6y agoProsecution can't commit perjury - only witnesses and interpreters can, given the statutory basis for perjury which is preferred to any common law perjury. She might've committed misconduct in public office.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- deleted 6y ago
- xnyan 6y agoEither this is a joke, or you have not looked at any recorded history of judicial proceedings. Judges often have incredible power with few oversights. You do see it the most in situations like this, where the accused is a target of the state or poor or otherwise can't defend themselves.
- vidarh 6y agoFrankly, if she has a job after this, then the UK justice system would seem to be fundamentally corrupt.
- jjgreen 6y agoThis hatchet-job pretty-much secures her seat in the house of Lords.
- yrro 6y agoThis judge sounds like a real piece of work. https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Vanessa_Baraitser#.22Sneers_and_imperious_indifference.22 https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Vanessa_Baraitser#.22Sneers_and_...