Westley Odger Speaks...

Monday, June 28, 2010

What about the Victim?

In a murder trial the Victim's absence is inevitable...while a Victim who is badly injured but recovers can attend the Court and whose presence can have a salutary effect on the Defendant, Lawyers and the Jury...this is not possible in a Murder Trial. Those of us whose loved-ones have been murdered believe that a photograph or picture of the deceased should be displayed in the Court to ensure that nobody involved in the case/trial forgets why they are there...

Who do you turn to when you are told you cannot bury your child or loved-one because the Defendant(s) may request second or subsequent post mortems? Or when the case ends in an Acquittal on a technicality or because a witness has been deterred from giving evidence? No doubt there are lawyers able to help on such matters but they must be hired privately as public funds in Criminal cases are only available to the suspect.

How does this help the administration of Justice or Public Confidence in the Law? What does it say about the value we put on the Human Rights of the Victim and their Family?