Ideas & Opinions Ron Jeremy --Innocent or Guilty?

[Winslow]

Ron Jeremy with 34 sexual assaults. But Unfit to stand trial due to neurocognitive decline. Will his neuro cognitive disability enable him to escape prison?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/ente...ctor-found-unable-to-stand-trial/11070689002/

 

[Lady Wolfshead]

I don't think the question here is about his innocence or guilt - it's whether he is fit to stand trial. If his dementia is advanced, it seems like there's no point. But his victims probably feel otherwise.

In general I have mixed feelings about these trials that happen decades after a crime, especially if there is no physical evidence that a crime took place. I realize there must be a pretty solid case to convict a person like Bill Cosby who is wealthy and has a great defence. But on the other hand many celebrities are ruined simply by an accusation whether they are convicted or not. Kevin Spacey, for instance.

And we have a guy in Canada, Jian Ghomeshi, who was found not guilty yet his career is over. And he wasn't accused of rape or murder. It does bother me that people act like someone is guilty because they are accused.

 

[JDot]

I don't think the question here is about his innocence or guilt - it's whether he is fit to stand trial. If his dementia is advanced, it seems like there's no point. But his victims probably feel otherwise.

In general I have mixed feelings about these trials that happen decades after a crime, especially if there is no physical evidence that a crime took place. I realize there must be a pretty solid case to convict a person like Bill Cosby who is wealthy and has a great defence. But on the other hand many celebrities are ruined simply by an accusation whether they are convicted or not. Kevin Spacey, for instance.

And we have a guy in Canada, Jian Ghomeshi, who was found not guilty yet his career is over. And he wasn't accused of rape or murder. It does bother me that people act like someone is guilty because they are accused.

I'm always confused about how I'm supposed to feel about these things. An accusation should be taken seriously. However anybody can accuse anybody of anything, which is pretty scary.

 

[KM76710]

I'm always confused about how I'm supposed to feel about these things. An accusation should be taken seriously. However anybody can accuse anybody of anything, which is pretty scary.

You and @Lady Wolfshead both mention some of my concerns. The accusation now or as in with the MeToo movement is both trial and a guilty verdict in itself or at least often treated that way.

 

[Lady Wolfshead]

You and @Lady Wolfshead both mention some of my concerns. The accusation now or as in with the MeToo movement is both trial and a guilty verdict in itself or at least often treated that way.

Yeah I guess as a woman, for me the MeToo movement was about the sheer number of women (almost all) who deal with unwanted sexual contact at some point in their lives, be it groping or harassment or assault or rape. Believing victims mean that you give someone who claims to have been assaulted the benefit of the doubt, especially during things like psychotherapy and medical treatment. But it doesn't mean that you can convict someone without meeting the burden of criminal proof. And it doesn't mean vigilantism is okay. And in my opinion people should not be losing their livelihoods if they have not been found guilty of a crime.

I just saw a video of a man kissed by his drunken (female) friend and people were saying it was sexual assault although he did not indicate in any way that he was averse to the kiss by pulling back or turning his head. So, was it inappropriate? Yes. Was it assault? No. If their genders had been reversed? Still not assault. I mean if you can't kiss someone without a signed statement of consent that's a problem, but if you keep kissing someone who is trying to fight you off that's at least harassment.

I guess everything must be judged on a case by case basis. Too bad people are crap at this and want black and white answers to everything. So yeah, the pendulum used to be pointing at "blame the victim" and now it's pointing at "accused = guilty." Neither is justice.