Neuroscience Determining Criminal Case Outcomes
To establish liability for most criminal offences, the prosecution will need to prove that the defendant had a particular state of mind. This may involve proof of an ‘intention’ to commit the offence, or even just ‘recklessness’. A person will...
Policemen Prey on Victims of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Who would you call if you were a victim of unwelcome sexual contact? For most people, the first thing that springs to mind is: ‘The police.’ But what happens when the person who is making the advances is a senior...
Wrongly Imprisoned Man Released After 16 Years
30-year-old Los Angeles man Luis Lorenzo Vargas was convicted of sexually assaulting three women in 1999 after being loosely identified by the complainants - who said that the perpetrator had either one or two small tattoos of a teardrop running...
Should the Names of Defendants be Published Before Guilt is Decided?
Being publicly named and shamed can be one of the worst things about being accused of a crime. Even if your innocence becomes clear and the charges are dropped, the damage may already have been done – and your career...
‘WTF’ Cases That Will Have You Shaking Your Head
Animals have no independent voice, and it is left to concerned humans to conserve and protect them from cruelty. Although we still have a long way to go before animals are granted basic rights, there are acts of cruelty that...
‘WTF’ Cases: Oral Sex with Animals
The Supreme Court of Canada recently heard a disturbing case where it has been called upon to decide whether all sexual acts on animals constitute bestiality. The case concerned a man who coaxed the family dog into performing oral sex...
Murderer Asks Court for a Release Date
Kevin Crump was sentenced to life imprisonment for the horrific rape and murder of Virginia Morse and Ian Lamb in 1973, with a recommendation that he ‘never be released’. He has been behind bars for the past 42 years -...
‘He Said, She Said’: Murray Directions in Sexual Assault Trials
Defending an allegation of sexual assault is no simple feat in the current social and legal environment. A myriad of rules now apply to protect complainants in sexual assault cases, including laws which block access to certain types of relevant...
Report says: Focus on Child Sex Offences Rather than Targeting Bikers
Queensland has gained a reputation its stance against motorcycle groups, with former Premier Campbell Newman waging a war on motorcyclists during his time in power. Newman made headlines after his government introduced the controversial and provocatively named Vicious Lawless Association...
New Laws Claim to Make it Easier for Children to Testify
Testifying in sexual assault cases can be a difficult and confronting experience - especially for children. But the NSW government aims to make the process less traumatic by trialling new ‘Children’s Champions’ in the Downing Centre and Newcastle District Courts...
