And it is all about ‘The Fifth’

 My words, my writing, my opinions have not altered, despite the great loss I am attempting to pilot my life through.

I will not write about that loss, but will do so once the Adjourned Inquest makes its ruling sometime in the next few months. Suffice to state that, hopefully, there will be legal proceedings; but beyond that, I shall not go.

So I hope to continue to berate, to chide, to expose and even, sometimes; to congratulate.

It is regarding that last verb which I write today. It seems to be most strange to be congratulating an admitted rapist, a man who drugged a woman so he could commit that rape, on his freedom. Bill Cosby is free today because the State broke its word. He was given Immunity from Prosecution  so he would honestly testify in a civil Suit brought by the victim. Because he was under oath, because he could not stay silent, because he could not ‘Plead the Fifth’, Cosby admitted his guilt, admitted his crimes; and the victim was awarded damages. 

But then, a different prosecutor brought Cosby up on civil charges, using the evidence Cosby had provided in that prior trial as part of the prosecution’s evidence. Cosby was convicted, and given ten years. The Mob roared approval: but, as usual, the Mob was wrong. 

That second prosecutor was wrong, as was the State’s charge against Cosby. Because the State had removed Cosby’s Fifth Amendment rights, and forced him to testify under pain of perjury, it simply could not use that evidence against him.

America’s Constitution and Legal Systems are more than wobbly, but it says something grand about America when the Law says, ‘You can’t do that here, because, grotesque as it seems; the rapist Bill Cosby is today a free man because of his Fifth Amendment Rights’.

If Only We Still Had Hanging...

...because I can't think who deserves it more:

A man who beat his elderly neighbour to death with a cricket bat while she picked herbs for her Sunday roast has been jailed for life.

He tried the 'not guilty 'cos I'm ill, see?' but the jury rejected it. 

Defence barrister Lionel Blackman told Judge Alexia Durran that Unmack had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008 and had been under the care of the Reigate Community Mental Health team.

And we can see how effective that was. As always. 

The family also revealed their anger over mental health services which had not managed to prevent Unmack from attacking the pensioner.

Ms Zachery explained: 'It should not have happened and the circumstances should be considered so that it does not happen again.

'Surrey Police and Surrey and Borders Partnership could have done much more to stop this and we hope that no other family will experience what we have again.'

Sadly, it's almost inevitble that they will, because all that happens is the authorities squawk about 'learning lessons' and then go right back to doing what they want to do, which is cooing over the dangerously mentally ill and prioritising their right to freedom over the rights of others... 

The court heard that Unmack had attacked women before, including an elderly woman with who he had previously struck up a relationship.

Even the judge couldn't help himself: 

Sentencing Unmack, Judge Durran told him: 'The jury rejected the defence that you were experiencing a psychotic episode but I accept that a mental disorder has affected your life for over 20 years.'

Wrong, judge. It's affected innocent people. That's what you should concentrate on. 

Asymptomatic? Meet the new untermensch!

Haiku, reader/contributor in another place, mentions the WHO’s new guidelines:

Widespread screening of asymptomatic individuals is not a currently recommended strategy due to the significant costs associated with it and the lack of data on its operational effectiveness. 

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-lab-testing-2021.1-eng

… and asks how do they determine the “asymptomatic”?

Seems Representative Enough To Me...

Buckingham Palace has admitted it “must do more” in terms of diversity and is “not where we would like to be” as figures show people from ethnic minority backgrounds make up 8.5% of its staff.

 *shrugs*

Buckingham Palace wants to reach a target of 10% of its staff being from ethnic minority backgrounds by 2022. It has not ruled out appointing a diversity tsar, though has no plans at present to do so.

Bit odd. The Royals don't have a very happy history with tsars, do they? 

And Next, She'll Warn Us That Water Is Wet...

The head of the schools watchdog in England has denounced a “militant” new brand of activism in school communities, which she warned was leading to confrontation within and outside the school gates and having a potentially limiting effect on education.

You've only just noticed? Where have you been for the last 10 years?

In some cases, she said, children and teachers were being subjected to abuse and even violence for being the wrong religion, race or ethnicity, and she said pupils should not be forced to support their peers’ campaigns for fear of being ostracised if they do not.

Too little, too late. Where were you when a schoolteacher was hounded out of his school for showing an image of a religious figure? 

HS2 flying under the radar with all the other issues

The TPA writes on this topic [newsletter, no url]:

High Speed 2 has yet again hit the headlines following a cost increase of £1.7 billion owing to social distancing measures on construction sites. This follows a hike of £800 million to the cost of Phase 1 after complications at Euston station just a few months ago.

As part of our regular War on Waste segment on GB News, our chief executive John O'Connell took to the airwaves to fight taxpayers' corner. Speaking to presenter Michelle Dewberry he stressed that the business case for HS2 "has been flawed from the start". 

Adding that the original cost estimate was around £30 billion and the current figure of £106 billion will probably soar even higher.

Michelle was quick to point out that the working from home revolution will surely put pa[id] to this white elephant project. John heartily agreed but unfortunately for taxpayers, "Politicians like big shiny projects that they can show off to the electorate."

In his closing remarks, John was adamant that HS2 must be scrapped. This sort of wasteful spending wouldn't be tolerated in the private sector which would have cut its losses by now given the significant cost overruns and delays. If the government is determined to press ahead then it must get costs under control. There is no magic money tree, costs cannot be allowed to increase exponentially. 

The final bill could be as high as £170 billion. The TaxPayers' Alliance will hold HS2's feet to the fire. We will do everything possible to get the best deal for Britain's taxpayers.

London march this Saturday

Courtesy Ripper:

 

Meanwhile, from Torquaymada:

https://dailyexpose.co.uk/2021/06/26/whilst-youve-been-distracted-by-hancocks-affair-phe-released-a-report-revealing-62-of-alleged-covid-deaths-are-people-whove-been-vaccinated/

Sometimes The Jury System Produces The Right Result...

...but Reader, this is not one of those times:

A knifeman accused of threatening to kill a man before stabbing him reacted after “abuse was shouted at him”, a court heard.

The trial of Allan Lindsay entered its second day at Basildon Crown Court yesterday with the 56-year-old taking to the witness box to give evidence.

Lindsay denies intending to cause the man grievous bodily harm in the stabbing on May 2 last year at the junction of Victoria Avenue and Queensway in Southend.

Lindsay was grilled by prosecuting barrister Karl Volz, where he claimed he started to follow the pedestrian because he had abused him.

Yes, you heard that right. The accused pursued the victim with a knife.  

The jury previously heard the victim had been walking when Lindsay had shouted abuse at him, saying he should “go and die”.

He is then alleged to have approached him before producing a knife and stabbing him, which the court heard narrowly missed the victim’s heart.

And hence, the CPS clearly thought "Well, this is open and shut!" 

The trial of Allan Lindsay, 56, of Marine Parade, Southend, concluded at Basildon Crown Court today with the jury unable to decide if Lindsay had intended to cause his victim serious harm.

The jury acquitted him on another charge of making threats to kill by majority verdict.

A provisional sentencing date has been set for July 19 for the charge of unlawful wounding. The Crown Prosecution Service will be considering over the next week whether a retrial will be sought.

For Lindsay, or for the idiot members of the jury on grounds of being idiots? 

It's A Feature, Simon, Not A Bug...

Be it the Manchester bombing, children’s homes or Daniel Morgan, millions are squandered on probes that merely enrich lawyers

Thus thunders Simon Jenkins in the 'Guardian', clearly missing the point that often that's their actual purpose.

These inquiries must be the worst value for money in British government. Most were just kicks into touch by some embarrassed minister, producing a day’s headline some years later before gathering dust. The infected blood inquiry, into an NHS mistake half a century ago, is now costing £32m a year. Like this week’s Manchester Arena bombing report, costing millions, it is telling us little or nothing that a bunch of assiduous investigators could not have discovered in a few weeks.

Probably, but then what are we supposed to do, not find out that BTP officers drove five miles for a kebab over a two-hour lunch break, leaving no one on duty in the City Room Foyer on the night in question?  

There is soon to be the mother of all inquiries, into the coronavirus pandemic. It will inevitably seek to apportion blame. I sense that the present extreme caution of Whitehall’s politicians and scientists on lockdown is not driven by the public interest. It is driven by a sense of how their reputations will stand up under cross-examination.

That's always what drives them. And anyone who thinks it's anything else is fooling themselves... 

In case there are still any lingering doubts

 Guillain-Barre Syndrome via DR

"Four British men have developed a crippling disease days after having the AstraZeneca jab, scientists revealed.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition in which the body's immune system breaks down.

The patients, all men, were struck down in Nottingham where around 700,000 people received the vaccine."

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/uk-world-news/four-uk-men-developed-crippling-5559897

"The complication — normally triggered by an infection — usually occurs in around one in 100,000 people in the UK and US.

What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?

Guillain–Barré syndrome is a rare disorder in which the immune system goes into overdrive and the body attack its own nerves.

Common symptoms of the rare condition include weakness and tingling in the limbs.

As patients' conditions worsen, this can lead to parts of the body — or in some cases the whole body — being paralysed.

The syndrome is rare, affecting about one in 100,000 annually in the UK and US.