The McCann v Gonçalo Amaral libel trial as it happens.

[Eleanor]

The way I see it Eleanor, the defence don't need him to testify and if the McCanns cannot bring anything else to the table than what we have already heard then I don't hold out much chance of a million quid going to Rothley or anywhere else for that matter.

I am not interested in The Million Quid.  An amount has to be specified.  The Court will award whatever it deems appropriate.

So far we have had McCann friends and family saying that The McCanns were seriously upset.  And who could argue with that?

And then we had a group of people, all but one of which is a personal friend of Amaral.  Please note that The Judge enquired of this fact in every case.
This would automatically affect the opinion of the witness.

There is a vast difference between the two.  And if you can't see that then more fool you.

Sargento?  He is no better than The McCann Witness that you all poo hooed.  And probably not half so good.  But we won't ever know that because he has been dismissed.

[Victoria]

I am not interested in The Million Quid.  An amount has to be specified.  The Court will award whatever it deems appropriate.

So far we have had McCann friends and family saying that The McCanns were seriously upset.  And who could argue with that?

And then we had a group of people, all but one of which is a personal friend of Amaral.  Please note that The Judge enquired of this fact in every case.
This would automatically affect the opinion of the witness.

There is a vast difference between the two.  And if you can't see that then more fool you.

Sargento?  He is no better than The McCann Witness that you all poo hooed.  And probably not half so good.  But we won't ever know that because he has been dismissed.

The defence has basically collapsed by the look of it. Witnesses pulling out all over the place. So much for Amaral's 'ace'.

[Eleanor]

So much wrong with this post......you dont KNOW  they have been libelled therefore are in no position to state it as a fact and  therefore the rest of your post is nonsense.....or rather just a hypothetical situation, and as such, has some merit....Id wait for  the judges verdict if I were you.....a police theory, held by a team as well, cannot be libel anyhow.....thats going from the ridiculous to the sublime....JMO

The odd apostrophe might be good.

[Montclair]

But he has been dismissed.  Or would you like to argue that one?

Hundreds of professors have asked to be dismissed from the Universidade Lusófona because their salaries have been cut up to 60%.

[Lyall]

I am not interested in The Million Quid.  An amount has to be specified.  The Court will award whatever it deems appropriate.

So far we have had McCann friends and family saying that The McCanns were seriously upset.  And who could argue with that?

And then we had a group of people, all but one of which is a personal friend of Amaral.  Please note that The Judge enquired of this fact in every case.
This would automatically affect the opinion of the witness.

There is a vast difference between the two.  And if you can't see that then more fool you.

Sargento?  He is no better than The McCann Witness that you all poo hooed.  And probably not half so good.  But we won't ever know that because he has been dismissed.

No-one doubts they'd be upset by the book and film (probably more by the film than the book). Is that relevant to the case though? Have they demonstrated in that courtroom anything more than that?

[Montclair]

I am not interested in The Million Quid.  An amount has to be specified.  The Court will award whatever it deems appropriate.

So far we have had McCann friends and family saying that The McCanns were seriously upset.  And who could argue with that?

And then we had a group of people, all but one of which is a personal friend of Amaral.  Please note that The Judge enquired of this fact in every case.
This would automatically affect the opinion of the witness.

There is a vast difference between the two.  And if you can't see that then more fool you.

Sargento?  He is no better than The McCann Witness that you all poo hooed.  And probably not half so good.  But we won't ever know that because he has been dismissed.

The witnesses on behalf of the McCanns never testified anything that they had witnessed first hand, all of it was hearsay. Kate said this, Gerry said that, etc. I don't know if anyone has noticed that the friends who testified for them only met them after Maddie disappeared.

[ferryman]

The witnesses on behalf of the McCanns never testified anything that they had witnessed first hand, all of it was hearsay. Kate said this, Gerry said that, etc. I don't know if anyone has noticed that the friends who testified for them only met them after Maddie disappeared.

I suspect most of the serious business of the trial has been in the form of written submissions

[Eleanor]

Hundreds of professors have asked to be dismissed from the Universidade Lusófona because their salaries have been cut up to 60%.

Oh my God, he wasn't doing this for money, was he? 

Don't answer that.

[Benice]

It goes without saying, they brought it all upon their own heads.   As for libelling them, well, isn't that what this fiasco is all about?

So you think libelling someone i.e. publically telling lies about them - can be justified?    I don't.

[Eleanor]

No-one doubts they'd be upset by the book and film (probably more by the film than the book). Is that relevant to the case though? Have they demonstrated in that courtroom anything more than that?

What do you think it would have taken to stop Amaral?  He was just going on and on, and getting worse by the day.

"I hope they sue me."  He said.   "I will welcome it, in fact."  He said.  And so they did.

[icabodcrane]

I suspect most of the serious business of the trial has been in the form of written submissions

Why do you suspect that  ?

There has been no evidence to suggest that is the case

Had there been  'written submissions'  as you presume,  then surely there would be the opportunity for them  to be contested and questioned in open court  ?

That has not occured

[Lyall]

What do you think it would have taken to stop Amaral?  He was just going on and on, and getting worse by the day.

"I hope they sue me."  He said.   "I will welcome it, in fact."  He said.  And so they did.

Well they did stop him I guess, temporarily, but you can't win a case just by saying the book and/or film upset you. Have they demonstrated libel? Have they demonstrated the book and/or film influenced the public more than the inconclusive report accompanying the shelving of the case?

[ferryman]

Why do you suspect that  ?

There has been no evidence to suggest that is the case

Had there been  'written submissions'  as you presume,  then surely there would be the opportunity for them  to be contested and questioned in open court  ?

That has not occured

I think the structure of a trial under the inquisitorial system is quite different from the one we are used to (I am assuming you live in Britain?) under the adversarial system, where absolutely everything relevant is brought out in open court.

[Eleanor]

Well they did stop him I guess, temporarily, but you can't win a case just by saying the book and/or film upset you. Have they demonstrated libel? Have they demonstrated the book and/or film influenced the public more than the inconclusive report accompanying the shelving of the case?

Well, that latest demonstration outside The Court by a bunch of idiot Brits won't have helped all that much.

[icabodcrane]

I think the structure of a trial under the inquisitorial system is quite different from the one we are used to (I am assuming you live in Britain?) under the adversarial system, where absolutely everything relevant is brought out in open court.

But if either party submitted written evidence that the opposing party felt was untrue,  or unjustified,  or incomplete,  then surely they would have the opportunity  (  in open court  )  to raise such concerns/objections  ?