Alex Salmond Trial Verdict

Iam64 the problem is that although his actions could be considered as sexual harassment they didn't legally constitute assault. The question then arises why, when so many very real assault charges never make it to court, did this fairly shaky one? The basis seems to be his victory over the charges of sexual harrassment brought in January. It isn't a trial that can be compared with others because of the political dimensions.

I wish I’d seen the trial. It is difficult to come to a judgement without trying to understand the reason for the jury’s verdict

Does anyone seriously believe these allegations and the subsequent trial came from a 'plot discredit Salmon and by association the YES movement? So far as I can establish, much of his defence is that sexual activity was consensual, he would say that wouldn't he. Prosecutions are rare, convictions even more rare. Galaxy point to the Michael Jackson trial- not the only one is it.

Trisher If this was indeed a plot to discredit Salmond and by association the YES movement then it has spectacturally succeeded. There is no way that AS will now ever be elected to political office, or a position in the SNP or YES campaign. His reputation has been tarnished for evermore. I agree that the women who were encouraged to press charges have been used as cannon fodder, with no consideration for the effect this would have on their mental health, reputations, credibility, future employment prospects, etc.

A dirty business indeed.

The system is failing women over and over again, we know it's broken, many of us would never report. It is no good saying like a broken record that this is the system we have. Women will continue to fight to address the utter failings of the judicial system. Michael Jackson was found innocent in a court. We can pretend everything is ok or we can fight to offer better protection for women and children.

grandad43. Support a system which has been proven to fail
many ? How is this protecting all that reside in the U.K. ?

The political shenanigans surrounding this case are many and complex. Some of the details of SNP and government interventions weren't admissable as evidence. One message referring to Salmon's victory over earlier charges of sexual harrassment said "we have lost the battle but we will win the war". I'm sorry for the women who may have been harassed, who have probably been used for political purposes and who now have little satisfaction. I'm sorry for Salmon's wife. And I'm sorry for democracy which comes out of this very badly. Politics is such a dirty business.

No,

Spot on gillybob.

Anniebach, everyone found guilty of any indictment has the right of appeal and even beyond that challenge the verdict.

However, Alex Salmon has been found not guilty of the charges laid against him, which is a totally different situation to someone found guilty of charges.

Everyone accepts that the law is not perfect and that has often been proven to be the case. However, it is the only system which protects all that reside in Britain and therefore should be supported by all, for there is nothing else.

Jane10 the law does not state that everyone has to be "a nice person". It does however demand that all individuals obey that law whatever their character or characteristics.

And if everyone had accepted the verdict of the people I listed
grandad43 ?

We do know that!!
However he has been exposed as a very sleazy individual - he even admitted it. Mud sticks and there was buckets of it. Hard to see how he'll retrieve any respect far less votes in any future attempt to revive his political career.

Anniebach.
The law prosess took its course, and Alex Salmon was charged with a series of indictments.

That same law process then found Alex Salmon not guilty of the indictment charges laid against him.

End of process and story.

What could possibly be "rubbish" in the above no matter how many persons you are to name, as the jury who heard all the evidence are the only people that matter in regard to this verdict

Good point there Anniebach.

There's also the difficult in proving allegations of rape or other sexual offences, whether against adults or children, in our criminal justice system. So few are ever charged because the CPS will only prosecute if the belief is there is over 85% likelihood of conviction. In this case, it's a great pity no one was brave enough to publicise this pattern of behaviour, showed this man for what he is. Its vanishingly unlikely that journalists weren't aware that steps were taken to avoid female workers being alone with AS. As with other politicians though, they're protected or certainly not shown for what they are

grandad43. What rubbish .

‘Found not guilty by a jury who heard all the evidence against
him and therefore all should support the verdict ‘

Sally Clarke. Angela Canning, Stephen Downing,
Derek Bentley, Stefan Kiszko, Timothy Evans, The Birmingham Six, and many more.

Agree Esspee

I don't believe the women lied,; as Esspee said, the accusations were so flimsy they were not going to prove the charge of sexual assault.

Sexual harassment, yes, and now this unpleasant man has been exposed for what he is, one hopes he will not be allowed to hold a public position again.
If he is,and he reverts to this behaviour, it is up to any woman expected to work with him to slap him down, literally and figuratively.

Some of the accusations were so flimsy that I can't understand how the prosecution had the nerve to use them. Anyone going to a man's bedroom knows something is not right and if she doesn't leave then where should the blame lie?
The impression I get is that he is a sleazy politician with wandering hands who made use of his position to be over familiar with women. Many of us have met men like that. The charges were ridiculous and should not have resulted in a trial.
The motivation can only be political.

In any civilised democratic society, it is the law which protects all who reside in that society. It is parliament that lays down what those laws should be and how it should be implemented.

In the case of Alex Salmon the law and justice system took its course and Salmon was found not guilty in the eyes of the selected jury who heard all the evidence against him.

Therefore, end of story.

There is no other system that offers protection and justice to all and therefore to keep questioning that justice system because some may not like a verdict(s) serves as nothing but to weaken confidence in a system to which there is no alternative.

As stated, Alex Salmon was found not guilty by a jury who heard all the evidence against him and therefore all should support that verdict.

Pikachu- it is far from the end of it!

My late MiL was like that. When William Roache was found not guilty she reckoned he’d got away with it. She’d never met the man, but didn’t ‘like the look of him’.

No, but is everyone lying when they say he wasn’t safe for a woman to be alone with, I do think he was a groper.

Ah! You must be one of those who think you know better than those jury members who sat through the whole trial and listened to all the evidence.

It’s the end of it for Salmond, not for the women or his wife
unless she knew