Recorded Issues
- No let up in helpline calls. Calls are increasingly concerning and take up to one hour.
- 4 New members signed up
- Two university students helped with their cases and isolation
- People are having big problems with solicitors and legal aid. Many callers frustrated and angry that they are not being helped and supported. Legal Aid solicitors in short supply and urgently needed.
- Private members still bill being formulated to look at changes needed to LA’s Safeguarding policies.
- Contact with CCRC is ongoing and John Curtis has been in contact again.
- More cases have come in, and again those in contact are frustrated, depressed and suicidal as a result of trauma and lack of support. In some cases they have contacted other groups and not been listened to. There is not much more I can do; we need case workers to help these innocent people and more buddy support.
- Church Service now arranged now and will take place on the 14th of March at St James Church Piccadilly London. Light refreshments afterwards. FACT Spring Conference now sorted speakers to date are, Investigative false allegation journalist Stephen Wright, we also have Stephen Vullo the Barrister who defended Brian Buckle and Felicity Stryjak who has founded the False allegation database website. This promises to be an important conference, and you can now register. It will be held at the Old Library, Birmingham
- I am meeting with Peter Sulivan next week. Peter having been imprisoned wrongly for 38 years for rape and murder. Like others he awaits compensation for his wrongful arrest and imprisonment. He is Britain’s longest serving falsely imprisoned miscarriage of justice case
10. I am seeking articles for the next edition of FACT News.
Comment
I am finding that time and time again when someone is found guilty at trial that it is their defence which has let them down. Evidence is either not represented or given weight to. It is disheartening to hear that many had the necessary detail, but it was overlooked. It seems that the search for truth in trials is now a thing of the past. Trials are about winning, and persuasion and the twisting of facts are used as a means to convince an already biased jury that an individual is guilty.
It seems, probability, possibility, bias and quantity are what convicts’ people and not facts or evidence. Evidence is not sought to prove innocence, nor is detail used to discredit false evidence used to convict. Inconsistencies, and reliable sources of evidence not sought out by defence lawyers and people are left confused and frustrated by a system they should be able to trust. Judges instruct jurors to be sure of guilt and no longer are we protected by the higher calling of beyond reasonable doubt. Truth cannot be obtained without due challenge, yet in many cases barristers are advised to a ‘softly softly’ approach in cross examination.
SERVICE OF FELLOWSHIP AND ENCOURAGEMENT SATURDAY
St. James’s Church, Piccadilly, London
14th March, 12 noon
FACT SPRING CONFERENCE SATURDAY 9TH MAY.
PLEASE REGISTER NOW
All the best,
Brian
Coordinator,
FACT
