Hello all! First-time poster here, though Ive been following this story as Ive waited for my username and email address to be verified
and Im in, yay! Ive read everyones comments and found them all very fascinating its so amazing and fortunate to have a community like this to help analyse the case, and cases like this. I also find it very interesting that many people have brought up intelligent questions and points that seemingly have been overlooked in court (or are not allowed to be discussed in court for some reason or another
. Grrr.). Im a Brisbanite born and raised and I have to say, in my 37-year lifetime Ive never come across a local trial like this. When GBC took the stand yesterday, the entire city stood still.
Before I get into my thoughts, I have a few questions to ask. (Sorry if theyve been asked already and I missed them during my speed-reading
)
*Urgh, why doesnt our criminal system allow polygraphs? GBC would be sweating buckets.
*Anyone have a clear idea where GBC is going with TMCH? My first thought was he was going to throw her under the bus. The statement Byrne made Allison asked about whether Toni felt bad because he was married, he said she did doesnt seem to make sense because it seems evident that the only thing on her mind was Gerard, Gerard, Gerard. Why would GBC introduce this idea? I cant think of it as being any use to the defence team?
*One thing keeps playing over in my mind and I dont quite grasp what it means in Allisons diary, she quotes GBC as saying he couldnt go back to Toni even if he wanted to. Did he insinuate to Allison perhaps that TMCH wouldnt take him back? Or was he talking about their financial situation or the kids? If it were the latter, Id think shed mention the kids in her diary. Says he is staying with me for kids. Doesnt love me? or something similar? Maybe not who knows what a persons really thinking but I wonder what he meant by telling her this.
*Can someone remind me of the exact day in which the verdict is to be read out?
Thoughts re: GBCs latest comments
*Allisons depression/panic attacks: In reference to the comment that Allison was so panicked that she would pass out behind the wheel in my history of psychological research (I have a degree in psych but also a personal interest in the subject, as well as two family members who suffer from panic attacks one suffers them while driving), NOTHING suggests that a panic attack would lead to the person to pass out. In fact, its more likely the opposite: the person suffering a panic attacks has their heart hammering, is feeling extreme heat going all up and down their body, cant breathe properly and is convinced they will die. They are so consciously fearful and panic attacks are so awful that the hyperactive body is not able to simply pass out. In my research and from anecdotal research, NO ONE suffering from a panic attack is at risk of passing out. They will instead suffer through it with a heartbeat so accelerated that at times even others can see the hammering movement of their heart through their chest.
*Byrne says Allison desperately wanted a son because there were no male Baden-Clays: OK, this isnt Game of Thrones. We dont all seek out male heirs to continue the family line. In fact, NO ONE here does. Its a modern society here like everywhere else. The Baden-Clays and their snobbery about their name are the exception in Brisbane. To everyone else, banging on and on about the family name is a joke. People are free to marry who they like, to take their partners surname only if they wish to, etc etc. The days of men longing for a male heir are LONG past. It is also laughable to suggest that a lack of male heir would make a man want to have an affair?!?! (Who does GBC think he is, Henry VIII?)
*Zoloft: I am on Zoloft for anxiety (which has helped very nicely! Im now much more able to operate, work, go out into society etc much more than I ever did in my 20s, when I wasnt on Zoloft.) Zoloft is considered to be so safe that even GPs have the authority to prescribe it. Gerard said they were told a possible side effect from Zoloft was causing more anxiety, loss of libido. Though Zoloft has a possible side effect of loss of libido, this is higher in men than in women. (And I myself found no such side effect from Zoloft usage: I am female.) As to Gerard being told that a possible side effect of Zoloft is anxiety (a condition that Zoloft is specifically used to control), a study reported by Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD found that out of 2,799 test subjects taking Zoloft, only 4 people reported anxiety. (The control group that took a placebo showed that 3 people reported anxiety).
So, this study showed that amongst Zoloft users, 0.14% of patients reported anxiety while using Zoloft. In another study, NHS UK reported that 1 in 100 people who take Sertraline hypochloride may feel nervous or anxious.
So, at best, Gerard is suggesting that Allison is part of 0.14%-1% of people who suffer from the very rare side effect of anxiety subsisting from Zoloft usage. Yeah, right.
*Toni became more demanding, telling him he should leave Allison to be with her. That continued for about three years. Who in their right mind will believe this? I believe that TMCH didnt give a fig about Allison, yes, but what man runs out and has a secret affair potentially costing him everything when their mistress is demanding
for about three years. What we know of GBC and what Ive seen of men who have affairs is that they choose women who are NOT problematic they rush off and have the affair because its easy for them, not hard! The mistress is their escapism, not an extra burden theyve taken on! Sheesh
if she was so demanding then why did he keep it going for so long? He cant say it was fear over Allison finding out. She already found out and he continued the affair! Is he insinuating that hes so soft and stupid that TMCH had him under the thumb? From all the evidence weve heard so far, this is far from the truth. As someone else pointed out earlier, it was a poverty-driven affair: no throwing around of money or spa getaways it was meet-ups in the back of the car, etc. TMCH basically followed him around and did whatever he wanted. It seemed like Toni was easy for him to manage for the most part (else why continue the affair?) and that he loved how needy she was she blindly adored him, even though he was married, and until their last conversation seemingly let him do whatever he wanted.
Whats his defence against his physical relationship with TMCH? He tripped, fell, and landed on her in a compromising position over and over again for 3-4 years? What an unlucky, clumsy fellow he is!
*"To be perfectly candid with you it came to a point where I was doing 80 to 90 to 95 ... I couldn't breastfeed obviously [but] I was doing everything in the home because Allison was in a depressed state that wouldn't really enable her to do anything": OK, even if were going to buy these lies of his
Has anyone ever explained to GBC what looking after your child is called? Its called fatherhood. Are we supposed to feel sympathy for him because he helped take care of his child? Did he think Allison would just pump out the babies and take care of everything while he sat in a hammock out the back sipping on Long Island Iced Teas and mentally reliving the glory of Kieran Perkins swimming career? Because marriage is supposed to be an equal partnership i.e. you take care of your kids! Even if hes telling the truth, hes still doing less than single fathers have to do.
*When she was pregnant for the second time she was flat": Really? I dont have kids but have a lot of younger siblings I helped raise. I remember my mother struggling more or less alone during each pregnancy and birth. And wow, it was totally a breeze! It was all I could do to stop my mother from doing cartwheels! (Sorry about all the sarcasm, but really
?!)
*She was really feeling incapable of much at all. She spoke to my mum about it. She didn't want to speak to her parents about it: How convenient that she allegedly told no one but GBCs family about it. This explanation means no one can contradict GBC except for family members who are already on his side and theyve had their time in court already.
*I can tell you 100 per cent why I didn't tell anybody, I was protecting my beautiful wife: if he doesnt stop referencing his beautiful wife, Im going to rush down to the courtroom myself and
God only knows what. We know she was beautiful, yes, but does GBC believe this? Evidently not (infidelity). What man, by the way, constantly refers to his wife as my beautiful wife in public? Normal men just say my wife when referring to their partner, in the same way women dont refer to their husbands as my breathtakingly awesome husband. I looked at his blog and it made me sick hes saying he likes Brigitte Joness diary because he likes watching chick flicks with his beautiful wife. Wow, hes got that beautiful wife line down pat. What man on their blog or facebook or social media page no matter how in love with their wife state that they like a movie because they can watch it with their beautiful wife? The fact is, men dont in normal conversation. Because people arent interested in hearing this and your blog/fb profile/social media page is about YOUR likes and interests. I cant think of one occasion where a husband has publicly said my beautiful wife so many times in a row, unless youre Kanye West or someone equally stupid. And I admit GBC is stupid, but the more someone reiterates the same unusual statement over and over the more I question their truthfulness. While some men may believe their wives are beautiful and love them dearly, they dont harp on about it in public people get sick of hearing it; its not relevant to the listener.
*Princess Diana/Kieran Perkins/9/11 references: What is this, A Brief History Of Modern Global Events by Gerald Baden Clay? Is he going to bring up Michael Jacksons death too? How Hurt Locker won the Academy Award? The global financial crisis and its implications for iron ore exports out of Australia? Obamas re-election? GBC, were all well aware of these events. If any of us want to check out the hit list of whats happened over the last decade or so, well look up Wikipedia. Not Badenopedia.
*Allison was a very gifted ballerina as a child and was under considerable pressure, she felt: Guess what, so was I. And ballet teachers can be quite nasty and induce nerves. That doesnt mean that as an adult Im suffering traumatic flashbacks to the time my teacher screamed at me in front of everyone, stating Im starting to regret moving you up to the senior class. Go and stand in the corner for 45 minutes and stare at the wall. No, closer than that! Nose to the wall! Now stay there. It was bad, yes, but it happened was when I was a child, in a different world where this behaviour was overlooked. Things that happen in your childhood can shape you as a person but something like this does not have an impact on your daily life as an adult, in my experience. Nor is there any research out there to correlating pressure received as a child from ballet teachers with raising your children as an adult!
*Byrne back up. Saying Gerard had no intention of being with Toni. Told her 1 July but knew it wouldn't happen. Hey, this happens to be one part of the defence argument that may be true. I think his skill was in placating women. I think he murdered Allison for the money alone (and maybe the free-swinging single lifestyle). Im not a mathematician, but he was about $1 million in debt. Allisons life insurance was around $1 million. What an odd coincidence!!! I always felt he only kept TMCH stringing along, just placating her and taking whatever pleasure he could from her. And now he seems to be throwing her under the bus, this just confirms my suspicion.
*Traded down from Lexus to Captiva: Oh, wow, what a come-down! How could he live with this economic desolation? Having to downgrade a car to accommodate a changed financial situation what a tragedy. Im sure the starving, poverty-stricken refugees in Africa are feeling sympathy for GBCs monetary issues. (Sorry, but his woe-is-me story just drives me insane...)
*Are we really going to have to endure The Dull History of GBCs Travels & Work History for days to come? Im trying to think of what witnesses the defence could possibly call. Forensic guys who might try to discredit the prosecutions forensic experts arguments, yes, but the defence has already covered this in response to the prosecution witnesses. (Through stupid arguments questioning the validity of the speaker.) Who else could he possibly call that would shed new light on his argument? Some charlatan?
Defence: Let me get this straight, Madame Artifice. You are Mr. Baden-Clays astrologer, correct?
Madame Artifice: Correct.
Defence: And the defendant, Mr. Baden-Clay, was born on 9 September, making him a Virgo, correct?
Madame Artifice: Thats right.
Defence: In your expert opinion, what personality traits does Mr. Baden-Clay possess, being ruled by Mercury, the God of Energy?
Madame Artifice: His traits include a tendency to be born to serve. This gives Virgos great joy.
Defence: So, in your astrological opinion, would it be reasonable to assume that the defendant lived to serve his family selflessly?
Madame Artifice: That is a clear pattern for Virgos, yes.
Defence: Virgo males make for very loyal lovers, is that correct?
Madame Artifice: That is characteristic of a Virgo, indeed.
Defence: I rest my case.
*Stunned silence in courtroom*
