Gonçalo Amaral confirms he will appeal the damages decision to higher Court.

[jassi]

Rather like with the McCanns, most of the population  won't give a toss.

[OxfordBloo]

Rather like with the McCanns, most of the population  won't give a toss.

Agreed.

Most people are largely unworried about the McCanns or the actions of bullies and harassers.

But some people defend the bullish.

And some people defend the innocent.

[Brietta]

Just looked at the donation site for Amaral. The Sun seems to have annoyed people. Quite a few say they're donating because of the Sun article.

I hope they are prepared to be in it for the long haul, a dog isn't just for Christmas it's for life and the wheels of the Law appear to turn very slowly in Portugal, and while they are turning his assets remain tied up by the Courts.

[G-Unit]

Agreed.

Most people are largely unworried about the McCanns or the actions of bullies and harassers.

But some people defend the bullish.

And some people defend the innocent.

Some look at the evidence and try to understand what happened. Some ignore the evidence or try to twist it to suit their own theories.

@Brietta

People seem to be promising monthly payments, so they would be in it for the long haul I expect.

[OxfordBloo]

Some look at the evidence and try to understand what happened. Some ignore the evidence or try to twist it to suit their own theories.

@Brietta

People seem to be promising monthly payments, so they would be in it for the long haul I expect.

Some people a t like rational adults, stop being pretend policeman, a d brow up and get a life.

Others become sad bullying vigilantes spreading hate and anger, and bullying people who they have never met and with whom they have no human connection.

It is a choice.

Choose life...

[Mr Gray]

Some look at the evidence and try to understand what happened. Some ignore the evidence or try to twist it to suit their own theories.

@Brietta

People seem to be promising monthly payments, so they would be in it for the long haul I expect.

and some of us actually understand the evidence....it really is amazing how much amaral got wrong

[Brietta]

Some look at the evidence and try to understand what happened. Some ignore the evidence or try to twist it to suit their own theories.

@Brietta

People seem to be promising monthly payments, so they would be in it for the long haul I expect.

Their dedication to the cause is laudable and I am sure the cause will be eternally grateful as no doubt will be the legal team reliant on the legal fees to pay their mortgages ... if the projection for the appeal process is eight years (not my figure ~ someone else's) I hope the monthly payments don't disappoint.

[G-Unit]

and some of us actually understand the evidence....it really is amazing how much amaral got wrong

Well, he was going to bring the Smiths back to Portugal......6 years before Operation Grange revealed their testimony as important.

[Mr Gray]

I don't know, but of course  he was an expert on extradition and related matters, which he used to full effect when helping Pinochet;

"If it's decided in Portugal they should be tried, they will want advice as to fighting extradition or returning voluntarily," says Julian Knowles. The other area of law Mr Caplan specialises in is "mutual assistance" - the process where one country seeks the assistance of another in a criminal investigation. "The McCanns will want to know if the Portuguese police can turn up at their house and search it. Or can they get the English police to search it."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6995499.stm

The McCanns may well have been aware of the Cipriano case and having been lied to by the PJ....having been offered a deal if she confessed Kate really feared that the PJ were corrupt..and following amarals conviction she was correct

[sadie]

The McCanns may well have been aware of the Cipriano case and having been lied to by the PJ....having been offered a deal if she confessed Kate really feared that the PJ were corrupt..and following amarals conviction she was correct

According to information that I read on the internet in 2007/ 2008 Leandro Silva warned them about the goings on in The Cipriano case. 


I expect the Consulate would too.

[OxfordBloo]

According to information that I read on the internet in 2007/ 2008 Leandro Silva warned them about the goings on in The Cipriano case. 


I expect the Consulate would too.

The Portuguese legal system depended on violence for convictions for years. It had only just started recovering.

[mercury]

The Portuguese legal system depended on violence for convictions for years. It had only just started recovering.

and has nothing to do with the mccann case as neither were tortured, next

[ferryman]

One can only appeal if one has grounds.

One can only appeal to the ECHR if it is a matter of Human Rights- it is not a Supreme Court, only a Tribunal interpreting the European Convention.

Legal Costs also build on each side. In Portugal I understand that lawyers fees are paid by each side and there are rarely costs awarded against one side alone.

I can see no easy grounds for appeal- appeals are not automatic and require permission.

I understand that the McCanns are indemnified for their legal costs a d Amaral is not.

I think it may be over bar the shouting.

Appeals are not automatic and require permission, true!

They also require a legal basis that something in the judgment appealed was awry.

Establishing such a basis may be what Amaral will find tricky ....

[ferryman]

Could someone please explain the relevance of Michael Caplan having Pinochet among his list of clients?

You lawyer-types most often tend to represent shady characters.  That is because shady characters most often fall foul of the law (by definition).

But every once in a while, you will have occasion to represent reputable and upstanding citizens, such as the McCanns.

[OxfordBloo]

and has nothing to do with the mccann case as neither were tortured, next

Torture does not need to happen. There just needs to be an atmosphere of coercion in the investigation process that allows the police to fit up innocent people.

General police behaviour in too many jurisdictions has been based on coerced confession of targeted individuals; this was the case generally in England until PACE limited the opportunities of the police to distort the system. It is not watertight as the case of Barry George and others demonstrate, but most of the tools of coercive policing have been removed. This is not the case in other jurisdictions such as the USA and many European countries and most third world countries that still use coercive investigation techniques.

If the McCanns had not been lawyered up and PR savvy, then I suspect that Kate McCann would have been forced to 'confess' to a minor crime to clear the case up- more important to the police than seeking justice.

The reported bargaining over two years on jail for a lesser crime than murder supports this. As the lawyer said 'if you were Portuguese you would be locked up by now.' Locked up coerced, bullied and demeaned, maybe even accidentally falling downstairs.

Amaral became very frustrated and saw his last chance to detain her because the following week be would have to give reasonable grounds to a court and be knew be did not have them. She was arguidoed and targeted with threats about never seeing her children and offered a way out by serving two years. She stood up to Amaral and the case collapsed.