The McCann v Gonçalo Amaral libel trial as it happens.

[Angelo222]

Sense at last, all this nonsensical carpet chewing by some is hilarious even if very sad indeed
 

It appears a lot of media outlets have taken copy and posted it on their own sites while many newsletter and blogs are linking to the forum instead.

I see that the entire Reports are now viewable directly without having to open a pdf file.   I assume that is to make copying and quoting much easier ??

[John]

It appears a lot of media outlets have taken copy and posted it on their own sites while many newsletter and blogs are linking to the forum instead.

I see that the entire Reports are now viewable directly without having to open a pdf file.   I assume that is to make copying and quoting much easier ??

That is part of it certainly Angelo, the main reason however is that googlebot isn't able to pick up the contents of pdf files and so the Reports were not getting onto the internet proper.  All sorted now though. 

[Redblossom]

It appears a lot of media outlets have taken copy and posted it on their own sites while many newsletter and blogs are linking to the forum instead.

I see that the entire Reports are now viewable directly without having to open a pdf file.   I assume that is to make copying and quoting much easier ??

The internet to MSM is as  the caxton press was to the bible
 

catastrophic power shift from the few controllers and slave drivers to the many freed

[Sherlock Holmes]

The internet to MSM is as  the caxton press was to the bible
 

catastrophic power shift from the few controllers and slave drivers to the many freed

Beautiful, Red!

[Redblossom]

Beautiful, Red!

Thanks Sherlock, thankfulk its true
 

[C.Edwards]

How is it that the McCanns are apparently able to wheel anyone into court they like to spout hearsay (basically all of them so far have been opinion-based witnesses) and their testimony has not been backed with any evidence but yet still appears to be being taken seriously?

Surely it would therefore be just as valid for Amaral to wheel in any one of dozens of cops to purely say, "absolutely, we think the McCanns were involved in what happened to Madeleine" and it would have to be treated as just as valid by the court?

I truly don't understand how Portuguese courts work based on what Anna is reporting is happening.

[Lyall]

How is it that the McCanns are apparently able to wheel anyone into court they like to spout hearsay (basically all of them so far have been opinion-based witnesses) and their testimony has not been backed with any evidence but yet still appears to be being taken seriously?

Surely it would therefore be just as valid for Amaral to wheel in any one of dozens of cops to purely say, "absolutely, we think the McCanns were involved in what happened to Madeleine" and it would have to be treated as just as valid by the court?

I truly don't understand how Portuguese courts work based on what Anna is reporting is happening.

We don't know it's being taken seriously. We'll only know at the end in November 

[Lyall]

How is it that the McCanns are apparently able to wheel anyone into court they like to spout hearsay (basically all of them so far have been opinion-based witnesses) and their testimony has not been backed with any evidence but yet still appears to be being taken seriously?

Surely it would therefore be just as valid for Amaral to wheel in any one of dozens of cops to purely say, "absolutely, we think the McCanns were involved in what happened to Madeleine" and it would have to be treated as just as valid by the court?

I truly don't understand how Portuguese courts work based on what Anna is reporting is happening.

I think the Judge won't be paying any attention to the English press that is not only notorious throughout Europe, but also in England

[Rachel Granada]

No, this is an impartial forum which prides itself on sticking to the facts.  Your criticism of Anne's reporting says more about you Neeley than it will ever say about Anne.  Maybe you would like to volunteer to sit in court for up to 8 hours each day and write the reports for free?

Always remembering too that it is an offence to misrepresent a witness and can leave one open to a libel suit.

If this is an impartial forum we shouldn't be seeing things like the below from a Senior Mod, John:

Who, in their right minds, would leave 3 small children in an unlocked apartment with road frontage, while they chatted crap?

[C.Edwards]

If this is an impartial forum we shouldn't be seeing things like the below from a Senior Mod, John:

Who, in their right minds, would leave 3 small children in an unlocked apartment with road frontage, while they chatted crap?

Aside from the "chatted crap" bit as we have no idea what they were talking about (getting piddled on cheap booze may be more apt) I see absolutely nothing wrong with that statement.

[John]

If this is an impartial forum we shouldn't be seeing things like the below from a Senior Mod, John:

Who, in their right minds, would leave 3 small children in an unlocked apartment with road frontage, while they chatted crap?

Why?   I happen to agree but I won't say it on here...oops. 

I have asked that same question to many parents recently and the vast majority say the same.

Just out of curiosity, do you agree with what they did? 

[Rachel Granada]

Why?   I happen to agree but I won't say it on here...oops. 

I have asked that same question to many parents recently and the vast majority say the same.

Just out of curiosity, do you agree with what they did?

IMO. mods should not be showing a bias which may affect their modding - just my take on it John, that's all.

Personally I would not have done what the McCanns did, but it is not my place to judge them and to be fair it is no different to baby listening services - and indeed the old Pontins method of a nanny cycling up and down.

[John]

IMO. mods should not be showing a bias which may affect their modding - just my take on it John, that's all.

Personally I would not have done what the McCanns did, but it is not my place to judge them and to be fair it is no different to baby listening services - and indeed the old Pontins method of a nanny cycling up and down.

I think to be fair to baby listening services the apartment is usually locked securely and especially so if it is on the ground floor with an unsecured access.  All said and done I think they were extremely silly!

[sadie]

I think to be fair to baby listening services the apartment is usually locked securely and especially so if it is on the ground floor with an unsecured access.  All said and done I think they were extremely silly!

Maybe, maybe not.  We dont know, do we?  In my youth doors used to be left unlocked regularly.  In fact only about 15 years ago I know a family who never locked their door.

Dont forget, John, this unlocked door was well within sight of the group at only 50 metres away.  And Amaral said no-body would go in that way when being so close to the family.

Not quite like going somewhere where you cannot keep an eye on things, is it?

[icabodcrane]

Maybe, maybe not.  We dont know, do we?  In my youth doors used to be left unlocked regularly.  In fact only about 15 years ago I know a family who never locked their door.

Dont forget, John, this unlocked door was well within sight of the group at only 50 metres away.  And Amaral said no-body would go in that way when being so close to the family.

Not quite like going somewhere where you cannot keep an eye on things, is it?

Why do keep insisting that it was  OK  for the McCanns to leave those patio doors unlocked because they could  'see'  them  ?

You must know that they would not have been staring intently at the patio doors the whole evening  ? 

But let's suppose they were  ...  let's suppose there was never a second when they didn't take their eyes of those patio doors 

And let's suppose further,  that whilst they were watching the patio doors so intently they saw a man enter them ...

What then  ? 

You yourself have said that the actual abduction would have taken less than a minute

So Kate and Gerry  'see'  someone going in through the patio doors  (  illuminated by the  'rectangle of light  )    ....   They jump up from the table and dash to the apartment  ... by which time their child has been snatched from her bed and already carried of into the darkness by a beast

Now ...  tell me again how leaving the patio doors unlocked  was  OK because they could  'see'  them