Is truth stranger than fiction?

[Casehardened]

Having just watched the first episode of Silk (BBC 1, Tuesdays 9.00pm), I do hope this is dramatisation at it's best!

Not the bit where she got a presumably guilty burglar off, but the bit where she gets the briefs the night before the court appearance, glances at them before having a beer & and then only meets her clients for the first time in the courtroom cells.

I always supposed the barrister read up about the case a few weeks before the actual date of the trial and had several case meetings together with solicitor and client to discuss a suitable defence.

I guess for sanity's sake I shouldn't watch any courtroom or police dramas

[LS]

It's TV; no one's FA'd, falsely convicted, the jury are honest, logical people, and the judge is usually compus mentis.
About as removed from reality as is humanly possible...... it has to be taken with a pinch of salt the size of the Utah Salt Flats.

[Saffron]

I never watch courtroom dramas for this very reason. Quite apart from the terrible memories, it's also totally innaccurate. I can't watch police dramas either....unless they are about corrupt cops getting caught!

[Rights Fighter]

And who noticed her ringing the prison asking where her VO is for a legal visit?

A barrister cannot book their own legal visits and I have yet to be given a VO in order to undertake a legal visit. I do wish they would do some research first.......

[Verity]

Mark saw the trailer and when the clerk of court asked the foreman if the defendent was guilty or not guilty he burst into tears.
He said that was the worst moment of his life, it seemed as if time stood still.
When the jury in his case said NOT guilty he collapsed between the seat and the bar of the dock.
The guard helped him up and said "it's alright mate, you can go" and he opened the door and helped Mark to get to his dad.

The OIC who caused this fabrication to get to trial slunk out of the back door.
She couldn't look Mark in the eyes and we know why.

[Rights Fighter]

I f***ing hate my job.

I have watched perfectly innocent people "found" guilty after an absolute farce - or after a trial where ALL the lies and inconsistencies were put to the jury - yet they STILL decided on guilt.

Not only does the innocent defendant either burst into tears or just stand there in shock, there is also the reaction from the supporters of the man in the dock.

It is BLOODY AWFUL. If I get so upset (ask RFLH how I was when one of my member's hubby's was found guilty in July 2009) and I am not involved apart from in supporting sense, then God alone knows how the loved ones of the innocent defendants who are found guilty, feel.

Another of my guys wrongly found guilty in 2007, after we left the Courts his mum attached herself to a big plastic advertisement in the multi-story carpark and refused to let go because she couldn't "leave our Ian here". We literally had to peel her off it.

HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE., I F***ing HATE my job.

I hope I win the lottery tonight........

[RFLH]

do you know - that's the first time I've seen you say that in public. You are going to have take a break at some point - you've been doing this for 12 years (where's that gone?!), its nearly bloody killed you once.

You will have a slap on the beak if you don't do as you're told.

I'd be a **** friend if I didn't nag you.

Sorry about the lottery - it has my name on it tonight!

[Midnight and Worried]

I musty admit I don't know where some of you find the strength from when,day after day,you witness the British Justice System at work and allowing some terrible things to happen.

One of my favourite programmes was Judge John Deed but I don't know if I'll ever watch it again

[LS]

Yep, I'm like all of you - can't watch anything police or court related. Used to be a fan of the Bill, heck I even went as far as to enrol in the police in 1990. Luckily (?) life went pear-shaped before I could take up their job offer.
(I wouldn't want that job for all the tea in China now - I'd rather have my integrity.)

In fact, I try to avoid all TV completely nowadays, not just law stuff.

[friday]

I can't watch most things with courts, particularly barristers and English courts. Judge Judy is pretty much ok now (much to the delight of my boyfriend, it is his guilty pleasure!. It ios crazy how traumatic court is, you think you only have to deal with being a victim but it infects so many other parts of life.

[Saffron]

Here's an interesting thing....tonight's episode of "Silk" deals with the female barrister defending someone accused of rape. Apparently she "is forced to put aside her own prejudices in an effort to prove her skills to the Silks panel".

Just about sums it up! Some of these barristers have no regard for "justice" and merely want to enhance their own careers! Grrrrr. I am tempted to watch this one. Unfortunately I know that if I try to watch it I will end up in tears and R will get angry/upset.

This May it will be seven years since our trial - the lies of the accuser, the indifference of the solicitor, the ineptitude of the barrister and the stupidity of the jury, but it still haunts me. I have to make a conscious effort to block it out, or it will taint me forever. Why does this still bother me?

[Saffron]

Well, I watched it and it made me furious. So many inaccuracies. And at the end the defendant was acquitted but he was actually guilty. Grrrrrr.

[Rights Fighter]

Yes there were many inaccuracies - for instance the defence barrister didn't look at the unused and instructed her junior to do that.

How do we know the defendant was guilty? I found the complainant's behaviour odd when giving evidence.

Because she cried afterwards doesn't make her account true.

[RFLH]

they have to make it dramatic - so sod the truth, why let that get in the way of a good story?

Now where have we all heard that before?

[Saffron]

The implication was that he was guilty - the defence barrister said "She's telling the truth" and got an attack of conscience after the trial.
I also found the complainant's behaviour odd - so much answering back and saying things like "He told me you'd go easy on me".