Jackie Lacey sometimes seems reluctant to lay charges against (accused) rapist celebrities. It’s an issue in her re-election campaign. Sitting on Weinstein’s charges until his trial started in New York seems like throwing a lost cause to the wolves.
Gascón left his position in San Francisco so he could return to Los Angeles and try to defeat Lacey, who is seeking a third term. Gascón is promising reform as a progressive Democrat, but he’s also criticizing Lacey for doing nothing about several high-profile figures accused of sexual assaults, including Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and yoga instructor Bikram Choudhury.
Are you suggesting these new accusers should have to wait months or years for the justice system to begin considering their cases just because the man who assaulted them is already facing charges in another jurisdiction? It’s not THEIR fault Weinstein was such a prolific rapist.
Well, he is 67, in a rather pudgy/doughy shape to begin with, and the stress of being confronted with his crimes is sure to take a mental and physical toll.
I am not saying it isn’t possible that he is faking it for leniency, but it is also possible his body is falling apart.
I hate to break it to everybody, but HW doesn’t suffer one whit whether you think he’s faking the need for a walker or not.
Know who does? Ordinary people who have mobility issues who may or may not “appear” disabled… ironically because they use a mobility device. A person with a mobility device may appear like they don’t need it, or may not need it at all times, precisely because they use it. They get hit with this judgemental crap all the time, and it does affect them, while HW doesn’t give a shit.
I don’t know how the system works that well, but worry that new accusations can be used as an excuse to delay or prolong a trial. Maybe this won’t happen as it is in another jurisdiction, but I’m sure Weinstein has the best lawyers to come up with any way to derail the process.
IANAL but I don’t think “your honor, our client needs more time to prepare a defense because he’s just been charged with additional rape charges in another jurisdiction” would actually work in his favor.
If the law worked that way then lawyers would constantly be trying to get their clients stuck with more and more bogus charges just to keep them out of prison.
Eleven pages into the questionnaire handed to potential jurors on Day 2 of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial came a question that cut to the heart of the case: “Have you, a family member, or a close friend ever been the victim of physical or sexual abuse, either as a child or adult?”
Seems to me, there are only two types of people who would answer ‘no’:
Those who have been judged by those closest to and most knowledgeable about them to be someone who cannot be trusted with that information – good for the defense;
Those who are lying in order to get on the jury – bad for the defense.
By including not just oneself, but one’s entire circle, the defense’s question has made it virtually impossible to convene an impartial jury.
Luckily the defense doesn’t get unlimited veto power for selecting jury members. There’s a limited pool of potential jurors for any given case and each side can only cut so many. The odds of ending up with 12 jurors (plus alternates) who don’t know any victims of sexual harassment or assault would be astronomical.
Well, I shuttle my 93-year-old mom, who does use a wheeled walker for more complicated trips, and a stick otherwise (shopping carts, walkers in disguise!). I helped with my dad when he was with us and needed a walker. I’ve hung out at a lot of medical buildings, and I don’t think that I’ve seen anyone using such a primitive walker, ever.
If he really did have such a sudden onset disability, and couldn’t handle a better walker, he should have been in a travel chair with attendants. (He can afford it.)
I don’t prejudge Weinstein because he “looks like he doesn’t need it”, but because he fits the profile of other scumbags who’ve claimed disabilities that lasted only as long as their court cases, and because his walker is such a <1970s prop.
Judge: “What’s all this?”
Lawyer: “Portable iron lung. Sudden onset Polio.”
Also knowing that when they were done with the day’s court appearance Weinstein strolled out completely unaided by the walker and with none of the frailty he displayed when walking in. He was also seen later shopping without it
It’s the kind you get in the hospital. I had one recovering from a motorcycle wreck. The 4-wheeled kind is great if you can operate the brakes, but I had two broken legs and one broken wrist. It’s light and the thing stays put when you lean on it.
See how far it is out in front of him? If you REALLY need a walker you lean on that shit and keep it close to your hips. If he can’t walk for court, then get a wheelchair.
I can say from experience tho, if you’re (relatively) young and you’re in a wheelchair, nobody notices you, but if you’re using a walker, folks see it.
