Criminal Barrister | Occasional threads explaining how the criminal justice system really works.
York, England
Joined October 2016
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Quite a lot of misinformation about this sentence from the usual suspects.
A brief thread explaining the sentencing powers available to the Judge 🧵
Calum McNicholas retweeted
#Advocacy. Closing Speeches. Try and have an arresting beginning; it should set the theme, your theory of the case & give you a hook to return to. Maintain eye contact. Use humour but sparingly. Ask rhetorical questions. Keep the jury engaged.
Calum McNicholas retweeted
For anyone interested, this was Sir Edward Clarke’s explanation. It comes from the foreword of Notable Cross Examinations by E.W. Fordham.
Following the Russell Brand trial, I have seen numerous posts demanding that juries must now be educated about “rape myths”.
In fact, this already happens in every case of this kind.
For those interested, this thread will explain the current position 🧵
Here are some examples of the topics which the Compendium raises for the Judge to address (in the appropriate case)
Reading lots of criticism of Ian Winter KC’s approach to the Russell Brand trial. Worth bearing in mind: a) The media only reports snippets; b) We don’t know what instructions he was given; c) Brand was also acquitted of multiple counts on the indictment, including rape.
Calum McNicholas retweeted
🚨 TODD BEAMER, UNITED 93 PHONE CALL: "LET'S ROLL" 🇺🇸
Todd: Hello… Operator… listen to me. I can’t speak very loud. This is an emergency. I’m a passenger on a United flight to San Francisco. Our plane has been hijacked.
Lisa: I understand. Can they see you?
Todd: No. There are three that we know of. They have knives — razor knives, like box cutters. Someone announced from the cockpit there was a bomb. It sounded fake.
Lisa: Your name?
Todd: Todd Beamer. United Flight 93.
Todd: They killed one passenger in first class. They forced most of us back. Fourteen of us here. Five flight attendants. The guy with the bomb ordered us to sit on the floor.
Lisa: Are you okay?
Todd: We’re going down… wait. No. We’re leveling off. We changed directions. We’re flying east again.
Todd: A guy named Jeremy called his wife. She told him two planes hit the World Trade Center. Lisa, is that true?
Lisa: I have to tell you the truth. It’s very bad. Both towers are gone. A third plane hit the Pentagon. Our country is under attack. I’m afraid your plane may be part of their plan.
Todd: Oh God. Lisa, will you do something for me? Call my wife and my kids. Promise me you’ll call.
Lisa: I promise.
Todd: Our home number is… You have the same name as my wife. Lisa. We’ve been married ten years. She’s pregnant with our third child. Tell her I love her. I’ll always love her. We have two boys — David, he’s 3, and Andrew, he’s 1. Tell them their daddy loves them and he is so proud of them. The baby is due January 12th. I saw an ultrasound. We still don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy.
Lisa: I’ll tell them. I promise, Todd.(Lisa patches in the FBI.)
Agent: Todd, your plane is on a course for Washington. Best guess is the White House or the Capitol.
Todd: I understand. I’ll be back.
Todd: Everyone knows this isn’t a normal hijacking. We have decided we will not be pawns in their plot.
Lisa: What are you going to do?
Todd: Four of us are going to rush the one with the bomb. Then the cockpit. A stewardess is getting boiling water. We’ll take them out.
Todd: Would you pray with me? [They pray the Lord’s Prayer.] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.
Todd: God help me. Jesus help me. Are you guys ready? Let’s Roll.
SOURCE: @SterlingMSnow
America's Mayor Live (1015): Remembering September 11th, 2001 xitter.cf/i/broadcasts/1kKzDPEBw…
Calum McNicholas retweeted
Old Bailey hearing is interrupted by the sound of a desk collapsing.
Judge: I think that brings the hearing to an end. The court is falling to pieces...'
Calum McNicholas retweeted
The risk to us all. The public. You. Me. Our friends. Neighbours. Is this. As clearly explained by Jim Sturman KC.
Yet another excoriation of Mr Lammy’s unworkable, unjust, and unpopular policy.
Labour’s jury trial restrictions endanger free speech, warns former judge telegraph.co.uk/politics/202…
