Jian Ghomeshi found not guilty on choking and all sex assault charges

[GliderGuider]

Source: CBC

An Ontario Court judge has acquitted former CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi on four counts of sexual assault and one count of choking, saying there were significant issues raised about the credibility of complainants.

Judge William Horkins said the evidence from all three women not only suffered from inconsistencies, but was "tainted by outright deception."

The first woman to testify told court that Ghomeshi had pulled her hair and punched her in the head at his home after a dinner date. DeCoutere said the former Q host had choked and slapped her at his home. The third woman said Ghomeshi had squeezed her neck and covered her mouth while they were kissing on a park bench.

But it was later revealed in court that each woman had had contact with Ghomeshi following the alleged assaults and that details of this contact had not been provided to police or the Crown in their initial statements.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/jian-ghomeshi-sexual-assault-trial-ruling-1.3505446

[BillZBubb]

1. That's pretty disgusting.

Sounds like the judge was looking for an excuse to let the guy off.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Who needs an excuse when the defense has material like this to work with?

But it was later revealed in court that each woman had had contact with Ghomeshi following the alleged assaults and that details of this contact had not been provided to police or the Crown in their initial statements.

The first witness had told police and the court she had no subsequent contact with Ghomeshi after two alleged attacks but later acknowledged she sent him two emails and a picture of herself in a bikini more than a year later. The woman said she sent the emails to bait Ghomeshi into calling her to explain his actions.

DeCoutere had told the court that she had no romantic interest in Ghomeshi after her alleged assault and only saw him at industry functions. But it was later revealed in court that hours after the alleged sexual assault, she had sent him an email saying she wanted to have sex with him and sent him a handwritten letter days later saying she was sad they didn't spend the night together.

[BillZBubb]

3. Well, you got me on that one.

That second witness is totally impeached. The first one has a plausible, but not very convincing excuse.

[branford]

4. Even in Canada, the defendant is presumed innocent.

Also, did you read the article and understand the very serious problems with the testimonies of all the women.

The verdict appears entirely just and correct.

[Thespian2]

7. I read several articles...

and I agree with you...

[closeupready]

5. Yet, here on DU, he was crucified by apparently clairvoyant legal geniuses...

Just another twist in a news story which indicates, sadly, that DU's peanut gallery remarks are almost never to be taken seriously.

[LanternWaste]

10. What were the measurable consequences of this melodramatic and so-called crucifixion?

What were the measurable consequences of this melodramatic and so-called crucifixion?

[runaway hero]

18. if you read what the judge has said

the court of public opinion had he guilty before the trial started. he's not guilty, but his reputation is gone.

[alarimer]

6. Fuck that fucking pig

I believe the victims. I hope he rots.

[branford]

9. That's nice. Now, do you have any actual evidence?

Also, how exactly do explain away the multitude of problems with the testimony of all the women?

The fact that they lied to the authorities does not appear to be in doubt at all.

[closeupready]

12. Some scary people don't need evidence; accusations of sexism are sufficient to convict.

If the accused has a penis.

[branford]

13. The worst part of knee-jerk acceptance of any sexual assault accusations

is that when they fail, it hurts the credibility of other real victims, the majority of complainants, and makes successful prosecutions all the more difficult.

It's disappointing when people who otherwise claim to be liberal totally abandon progressive notions like the presumption of innocence, due process and equal protection when it comes to women's claims of sexual assault. The alleged crimes may be terrible, but it doesn't change the fundamental protections of our justice system (and most others) or make me abandon basic ethics and liberal values.

[closeupready]

14. Agree - and if a woman is attempting to extort a man, make the crime sound REALLY terrible,

is how the logic would go, I assume, if one were a con artist.

[alarimer]

16. Women have to be perfect witnesses in order to get a conviction; The victims are ALWAYS on trial.

Always. There is no such thing as justice. This certainly isn't.

I just hope he gets his just desserts someday.

[closeupready]

17. Perjury isn't an imperfection; it's a federal crime, punishable

by up to 5 years in the slammer, at least in the US. But hey, nobody's perfect, right?

[branford]

19. Perfect witnesses?

Again, did you actually read the article?

Among many other serious factual issues, all the women lied to the police, and thus had no credibility.

A criminal defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond any reasonable doubt (or the Canadian equivalent). A conviction under the circumstances described in the article would have been a travesty.

I'm curious, do you also believe rapes occurred during the Duke Lacross and Rolling Stone UVA incidents?

[GliderGuider]

8. This was not a clean case

Neither legally, ethically nor morally.

Gomeshi is an ego with legs, undoubtedly a repugnant asshole. But that's not something that you can convict someone of in a court of law, or most of the American Republican party would be behind bars. You've got to have the evidence, and it has to clearly point to a criminal act. The behaviour that was on on trial here skates the line. It looks to me like the women tried to shade the evidence in order to knock the jerk off his perch, and they went over the line. Nobody was clean here. IMO it's a good verdict.

[Angel Martin]

11. I'm just glad he's off TV

at least the trial exposed the difference between his line of PC bull, and how he actually treats women.

[GOLGO 13]

15. He's guilty by reason of having male sex organ

That's all it takes to get accused.