Re: Cliff Richard v BBC
Originally Posted by
OldGreyFox
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But it's not Cliff I worry about, it's the bloke on the street who doesn't have Cliffs money or influence, and there are quite a few (even celebrities) who suffered 'Trial by Media' when they were found to be innocent, and went on to suffer a fate worse than death....
Indeed. One of the cases I sat on, as juror, was that of a mentally disabled man accused of child molestion. Naurally, his neighbours were soon aware of it, but when he was charged, the local media printed his name and where he lived. His life became hell and, eventually, he went into hiding. When the case came before us, we, too, were not well disposed towards him, yet, as the evidence for the defence was presented, it became clear that he was not the guilty party - the stepfather was abusing the child, who had been "brainwashed" by the stepfather and the mother to "set up" the defendant. Happily, for me, I was the jury foreman who pronounced him "Not Guilty" but, sadly for him, the allegations had been made and he not only had to go into hiding again but relocate from the area where he had been born and where he felt secure .....