In my view the only thing possibly being “robbed” is GM’s right to a fair trial. It’s now up to the judge to decide that. Of course it’s best that this issue with the jurors (there’s a similar situation with another juror) came to light.
The truth is often a complex dilemma and you set it out very clearly. It seems to me that Lucia as a journalist was under an obligation to report her interview accurately, which is exactly what she did, so I feel that no blame at all can attach to her.
Clearly Judge Nathan is partly at fault in giving permission for jurors to talk to the press but on the other hand if she had not, none of the facts that the juror disclosed (in the UK from where I write I don't think that jurors are allowed to talk to the press after a trial) would have come out, so on balance one can hardly blame her. In my view I'm sorry to say that I think the juror was mainly to blame. Not for speaking out about his experience of sexual abuse, for which I have the utmost sympathy, but for either disregarding the importance of the questionnaire or lying about it.
However regardless whose fault it was, the question that arises is whether Ghislaine Maxwell received a fair verdict from a jury untainted by preconceived bias. I don't know who decides that but equally clearly if there is enough doubt there has to be a re-trial with another jury. Otherwise the law is indeed an ass.
In my view the only thing possibly being “robbed” is GM’s right to a fair trial. It’s now up to the judge to decide that. Of course it’s best that this issue with the jurors (there’s a similar situation with another juror) came to light.
The truth is often a complex dilemma and you set it out very clearly. It seems to me that Lucia as a journalist was under an obligation to report her interview accurately, which is exactly what she did, so I feel that no blame at all can attach to her.
Clearly Judge Nathan is partly at fault in giving permission for jurors to talk to the press but on the other hand if she had not, none of the facts that the juror disclosed (in the UK from where I write I don't think that jurors are allowed to talk to the press after a trial) would have come out, so on balance one can hardly blame her. In my view I'm sorry to say that I think the juror was mainly to blame. Not for speaking out about his experience of sexual abuse, for which I have the utmost sympathy, but for either disregarding the importance of the questionnaire or lying about it.
However regardless whose fault it was, the question that arises is whether Ghislaine Maxwell received a fair verdict from a jury untainted by preconceived bias. I don't know who decides that but equally clearly if there is enough doubt there has to be a re-trial with another jury. Otherwise the law is indeed an ass.
might it be more appropriate for a journalist to…tell the truth to Judge Nathan first?