Man freed after judge mishears 'guilty' verdict

[WickedSmurf]

Legal experts in Australia admit they don't know what to do after a judge freed an alleged rapist because he misheard the jury's guilty verdict.

The Northern Territory Director of Public Prosecutions is still considering whether to call for a retrial of the case in Alice Springs.

The jury returned two not guilty verdicts on the charges of rape and attempted rape but there is dispute over the verdict on a third charge of burglary with intent.

Justice Trevor Riley says he heard the verdict as 'not guilty' and set the defendant free, reports ABC News Online.

But court tape recordings indicate the ruling was in fact 'guilty', although Justice Riley has refused to bring the jury back to clarify the finding.


Story filed: 14:56 Friday 19th December 2003

Strange. If the recordings say "guilty" without a doubt then why can't they pass the correct verdict based on that fact?

EDIT: Link

 

[Colonel Kraken]

Maybe it's some kind of double jeapordy thing. I don't know. :shrug:

--CK

 

[BorgeoisBuffoon]

Ahhhh, justice today. I hope the judge will be more careful in the future. That's pretty dumb to let him free just to save face!

 

[Panda]

Bizarre, but strangely entertaining.