The Crown v Gerard Baden-Clay, 7th July - Trial Day 15

[brizzymum]

I agree that some on the DT seem out of touch with the pressures facing mothers today and the 'juggling' required to meet multiple demands at a higher standards than in times gone by. We live in a complex society where women also contribute to the family income, but are still predominantly responsible for organizing the children and the home. Sometimes this needs to be spelt out for those 'out of touch' with the pressures on young mothers today. The defense of the alleged murderer at Allison's expense has been witnessed by a one-sided degradation of her coping ability is very uncomfortable. :furious:

From all accounts of her treating clinicians, her depression was well managed. As one poster aptly said earlier, treating depression is similar to treating heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, hypothyroidism etc that once therapeutic doses of the prescribed medication works, the condition becomes well managed and the patient able to conduct a normal daily routine.

IMO Allison's reputation and character have been violated all over again - even in death. My opinion only.

Extremely well articulated Fuskier. Exactly how I feel.

I am very angry. If Allison was managing half of what we've heard she was coping brilliantly! IMO

 

[Trooper]

Gerard's weak and cowardly gutless defence will be long forgotten.. What will remain is what the people who loved Alison know. If Gerard ever comes to mind, it will be with a grim smile and a nod. People will make bad jokes about the name of Baden-Clay. Olivia's bladder will be ruined, Nige's elderly plodding to the prison to see Gerred will be accompanied by all the scorn and contempt your average Australian can surprisingly muster, Gerards associates in prison will scam him on a daily basis , they know a dumb cluck when they see one.

It's going to be a life of continually looking over the shoulder for Ger. A life on constant watch, where he has nothing to sell and no one to sell it to. Whatever charm he thought he had won't get him 1/2 a TimTam where he is going.

Today was almost unbearable, but it told everyone more about Gerard than it did about Alison. There wont be a day like this again. Gerards time of being heard is well and truly over.

think on this, peoples.

 

[Fuskier]

No doubt raising the obvious, but if you are feeling a bit crook AND you have your hair done AND you have got something on your keen to go to in the morning....your very unlikely to want to go for a jaunt around the 'hood at night. Simplz

Got it HoolyDooly!. (too cool for school) :floorlaugh:

 

[Fuskier]

I can just picture it...

Defence: My client GBC will now produce 50 witnesses who DID NOT SEE HIM murder his wife!

:floorlaugh: That was my take as well. DT seemed to be citing what was NOT there or NOT seen and NOT done.

 

[brizzymum]

Today was almost unbearable, but it told everyone more about Gerard than it did about Alison. There wont be a day like this again. Gerards time of being heard are well and truly over.

think on this, peoples.

I really hope you're right Trooper. I can't sleep I'm so cross about today.

 

[Trooper]

I really hope you're right Trooper. I can't sleep I'm so cross about today.

this part of the trial was always going to be the worst, Brizzo.. a tiny bit more later on this morning and then its the last words of *advertiser censored* about Alison that anyone will speak. Actually it was shorter than I expected.. for that small mercy, I am grateful. Not much more to go, and then Gerard and the BC's are compelled to hear just what Gerard is, and what Gerard does, and more when the verdict, and the sentencing comes down..

and that is what will be remembered... that is what counts..

 

[KG1]

Many thanks to all our re tweeters today and to anemone for courtroom observations. Also than you to Figtree for great summaries. I have just caught up and it has been a very disturbing read - still reeks of grasping at straws by defence. Just horrible to think of how Allison's family must feel hearing all this and knowing that is so remote from the truth about Allison and who she was. Just also shows me that the instructors to Byrne have no regard and never had any regard or appreciation of Allison as a person. GBCs hoped for freedom is of far greater importance to the BCs than any defamation and lies about Allison, which her three daughters will likely read one day. Just disgraceful and will long be remembered too. MOO

 

[kiwijayne]

this part of the trial was always going to be the worst, Brizzo.. a tiny bit more later on this morning and then its the last words of *advertiser censored* about Alison that anyone will speak. Actually it was shorter than I expected.. for that small mercy, I am grateful. Not much more to go, and then Gerard and the BC's are compelled to hear just what Gerard is, and what Gerard does, and more when the verdict, and the sentencing comes down..

and that is what will be remembered... that is what counts..

I will be off to court in the morning.

 

[brizzymum]

this part of the trial was always going to be the worst, Brizzo.. a tiny bit more later on this morning and then its the last words of *advertiser censored* about Alison that anyone will speak. Actually it was shorter than I expected.. for that small mercy, I am grateful. Not much more to go, and then Gerard and the BC's are compelled to hear just what Gerard is, and what Gerard does, and more when the verdict, and the sentencing comes down..

and that is what will be remembered... that is what counts..

Thank you! I shall attempt sleep again with these thoughts...

 

[Trooper]

I will be off to court in the morning.

I so admire you court attendees.. and , green blinding envy as well. ... it will be a good day, if that's the correct word for it, Jayne.. one of the best of the trial, I believe, in the context of comparison with today..

 

[kiwijayne]

I so admire you court attendees.. and , green blinding envy as well. ... it will be a good day, if that's the correct word for it, Jayne.. one of the best of the trial, I believe, in the context of comparison with today..

I didn't get to go yesterday as planned I was sick. But I'm determined to go today. Thanks I'm excited to go in a way to see him sweat.

 

[nanny2five]

websleuthers never cease to amaze me!! what a wonderful job ya'll have done here in memory of Allison... praying the jury brings justice for her and her family.

 

[Brightbird]

So agree. No one saw her and she didn't change her mind or get a clearer mind (depending on the theory) in all that time. I don't believe thats a reasonable proposition. I hope the jury really took notice of that distance. No wonder they didn't want locals in the jury, that is such a major factor against the suicide/accident theory.

You've hit the nail on the head as to my major issues with the suicide theory. Sure, I get that someone can commit suicide with no prior warnings in their mental state. But the circumstances on that night just don't fit, imo. Supposing Allison suddenly committed herself to a lethal suicide plan while watching the Footy Show, then she had to either overdose at home and walk all that way, or walk all that way and follow through on her suicidal plan. The first doesn't sit with me because I don't think she would have made it that far, and surely would have been noticed if overdosing and staggering around on something. The second doesn't sit either, because one doesn't need to walk 14kms to kill yourself. It would happen much closer to home. Allison had no history of self-harm or suicide that we know of. I can't see her getting that far without changing her mind. I know there are exceptions but they are extremely far out in the realms of possibility to me.

 

[FigTree]

Thanks for all the tweets and updates today. One question that I have is probably for Alioop. I have limited experience with courts (very grateful for that), so
I may just be naive. My understanding is that everyone needs to speak the truth in court. Of course the jury will need to decide whether defendants and witnesses are speaking the truth or not and of course unfortunately lies will sometimes be told under oath. The extension of this understanding would be that a defense barrister would need to only present what he knows to be truth too. Of course if his or her client has told them a lie they will still present that assuming that it is true. That makes sense to me. Unless told otherwise the defense barrister at least outwardly believes their client. Of course inwardly there is always the chance that they have a different personal opinion. What I find to be confusing is when evidence is presented to the jury as fact when it seems to be already proven that it is not. I know the job of the defense barrister is to create doubt, but it can't be ethical to misrepresent things to the jury. Examples where this seemed to be happening today with the defense summary were when he suggested that Alison could have been shifted to the spot she was found in through tidal movements where I thought that all of the reports indicated that she was in the position she was found in very soon after her death. Another example was when he said that Alison could have jumped, but this seems to be in contrast to her body being found under the bridge with no broken bones. Of course I have not sat in the court and heard all the evidence and I am not an expert. In the interests of justice shouldn't known truthful facts be left as known truthful facts. It seems unfair and unethical to create confusion about these type of facts for the jury. I can understand creating doubt about things like who put the phone on the charger at 1:48am, whether the blood in the back of the Captiva was the result of Alison being transported to Kholo in the car or not, and even how she died. I also thought that there was evidence that she didn't drown and so I wondered why that come up again too. My other question is about how people speak of a victim in a court case. In the very limited court cases I have supported people through and therefore witnessed, the legal people always gave me the idea that alleged victim's need to be spoken to and about in respectful and non condemnatory ways, even if a defendant believed that an alleged victim was lying and had character flaws. In this case Alison is a true victim. There is no question about whether or not she has experienced an injustice, nor is there a question about whether she is telling the truth or not, as she lost her life and can't "speak" to defend herself. Again, I am not in the courtroom, and have only followed the case from afar, but the impression I got was that at times Alison was portrayed very negatively...... yet she is the victim. This confused me as to why this was allowed, as it seemed (from a distance) in some ways to be disrespectful. Alioop, can you please explain. It might be that I live in a different part of Australia and there are different rules and expectations about how defense teams speak about victims. I don't know. These are just my observations and questions from a distance as we wait for justice for this beautiful lady and her family.

Great post.
I saw many things I wanted to comment on tonight too about what you have mentioned about today's Closing Argument.
I have been sitting reading some of today's msm reports rolling my eyes and shaking my head - so much so I think I might fall of my chair or pass out.
I wasn't impressed with the Defence's approach at all.

 

[Makara]

A couple of songs I'd like to dedicate to Todd Fuller in the lead up to his closing summation.

Huh, GBC you ain't seen nothing yet and Todd Fuller will be taking care of business as only a supercoldhardfox can do!

You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7miRCLeFSJo

Taking Care Of Business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybtl9qVFAjc

 

[Total]

this part of the trial was always going to be the worst, Brizzo.. a tiny bit more later on this morning and then its the last words of *advertiser censored* about Alison that anyone will speak. Actually it was shorter than I expected.. for that small mercy, I am grateful. Not much more to go, and then Gerard and the BC's are compelled to hear just what Gerard is, and what Gerard does, and more when the verdict, and the sentencing comes down..

and that is what will be remembered... that is what counts..

Brizzymum, Trooper, Makara, Fuskier....all of you who are here supporting Allison.....WS.....don't really know what I am saying. I am awake for the third time tonight and every time I wake up I start getting angry at what was being said and implied today. So after awhile laying in the dark fuming ....I come back on here...and every single time somehow the right words and sentiments are there. THANK YOU...

My thoughts are very much with Allison's parents, her girls, family and friends. If I can feel angry at what is happening and has happened, I cannot even begin to imagine their anguish.

 

[jens]

Brizzymum, Trooper, Makara, Fuskier....all of you who are here supporting Allison.....WS.....don't really know what I am saying. I am awake for the third time tonight and every time I wake up I start getting angry at what was being said and implied today. So after awhile laying in the dark fuming ....I come back on here...and every single time somehow the right words and sentiments are there. THANK YOU...

My thoughts are very much with Allison's parents, her girls, family and friends. If I can feel angry at what is happening and has happened, I cannot even begin to imagine their anguish.

I agree Total, what was said about Allison yesterday in court is despicable and must have been absolutely heartbreaking for the Dickies to hear their daughter being disparaged in such a senseless way. Byrne seems to be trying to blame everyone else just like GBC does.

 

[BatWoman]

Can i ask people who've been to court - are sangas a deadly weapon? I seem to remember food not being allowed at Ipswich court and didn't know if it was the same. Not that I want to eat them IN court but I want a packed lunch for my venture into the big smoke.

I'm awake trying to remember how to use public transport and where to catch buses and realised that I could start walking now and be there in a few hours. Then that put it more into perspective: she "walked" the distance from their house to the city. I just can't see that as something someone unwell and stumbling could do.

 

[Mountain Misst]

The Do Not Disturb sign is on my front door; phone is off the hook; computer on mute - I'm as ready as I can be. May the Todd not run dry today!!

Hugs all round...

 

[Ooohm]

Mr. Fuller/Mr. Boyle---remember Allison! Remember her in every line you speak while doing your summation. Let her spirit come through to clear her name and in turn, illuminate her real murderer. May Justice prevail.