So what's next in the libel trial saga?

[jassi]

How would that help him?  Finding a body does not equal "The McCanns dunnit".

No, but I suppose if it could be demonstrated that she died in 2007, then he couldn't be accused of hindering the search for  a live Madeleine.

[stephen25000]

How would that help him?  Finding a body does not equal "The McCanns dunnit".

It would put an end to the fund, once and for all.

[Alfred R Jones]

No, but I suppose if it could be demonstrated that she died in 2007, then he couldn't be accused of hindering the search for  a live Madeleine.

Hmm, not sure about that.  No one knew at the time the book was written and published if Madeleine were alive or dead, and therefore prior to any confirmation of her death she would surely  have had the right to be considered a live and findable child.  Amaral compromised that right IMO.

[stephen25000]

Hmm, not sure about that.  No one knew at the time the book was written and published if Madeleine were alive or dead, and therefore prior to any confirmation of her death she would surely  have had the right to be considered a live and findable child.  Amaral compromised that right IMO.

No, complete rubbish.

People made their mind up for themselves  and they didn't need the 'case coordinator' to tell them either.

Try to comprehend, that many people don't believe the mccanns story of abduction.

it doesn't add up, and there's nae evidence for it either.

[jassi]

Hmm, not sure about that.  No one knew at the time the book was written and published if Madeleine were alive or dead, and therefore prior to any confirmation of her death she would surely  have had the right to be considered a live and findable child.  Amaral compromised that right IMO.

I'm not sure either, but if already dead, no amount of searching would produce a live child, so how could it be hindered?

[Mr Gray]

The ironic bit is that SY could pull the bunny out of the hat for him yet if they do find something in PdL.

only if there is something to find...perhaps this is what he is still hoping...my take is that SY will find nothing to incriminate the mccanns because they were not involved

[Brietta]

"At the end of all this (a lot of water is still going to flow in the Thames river...) someone will reimburse me for all the wicked actions taken against me... Then, I will tell the rest”, said in a single burst Gonçalo Amaral.

26 February 2012

www.joana-morais.blogspot.com/2012/02/police-cases-truth-of-lie-is-on-its-way.html

Interesting statement, “Then I will tell the rest”.

It suggests to me that the story he has to tell does not concern the Drs McCann.
If he had anything worthwhile to implicate them he would already have spilled it either when he was still active in the PJ, thus solving the case; or he would have included a chapter in his book; or he might even have imparted it to his successors.

Perhaps those who pore over every cough of the Drs McCann should turn their analytical skills to Dr Amaral’s statement and work out what he meant and tell the rest of us.

[Alfred R Jones]

I'm not sure either, but if already dead, no amount of searching would produce a live child, so how could it be hindered?

That would be with the benefit of hindsight wouldn't it?  It the courts decide that Amaral's book HAS hindered the search, award the McCanns compensation and then in six months or six years time a body does turn up does that mean that the judgment can be overturned?   I wouldn't have thought so, would you?

[Carana]

How would that help him?  Finding a body does not equal "The McCanns dunnit".

No, it wouldn't. But he might have hoped that find a body would have ruled her out as a litigant.

[jassi]

That would be with the benefit of hindsight wouldn't it?  It the courts decide that Amaral's book HAS hindered the search, award the McCanns compensation and then in six months or six years time a body does turn up does that mean that the judgment can be overturned?   I wouldn't have thought so, would you?

That's the sort of question that keeps lawyers in business for years 

In the case of Archer and Aitken, the verdicts of their trial were overturned when it was shown that their basic claims were without substance. 

[Alfred R Jones]

That's the sort of question that keeps lawyers in business for years 

In the case of Archer and Aitken, the verdicts of their trial were overturned when it was shown that their basic claims were without substance.

body or no body, Amaral has hindered the search to find out what really happened to Madeleine, by trying to convince the world that the culprits were the parents.  I'm sure on that basis alone the judgment would stand.

[Carana]

body or no body, Amaral has hindered the search to find out what really happened to Madeleine, by trying to convince the world that the culprits were the parents.  I'm sure on that basis alone the judgment would stand.

I don't think it will be that straightforward. The McCanns will apparently need to prove direct damage and quantify it, unless I've misunderstood.

[Alfred R Jones]

I don't think it will be that straightforward. The McCanns will apparently need to prove direct damage and quantify it, unless I've misunderstood.

Well if that's the case they won't win.  How do you quantify the amount of harm done to the search for a missing person?

[stephen25000]

Well if that's the case they won't win.  How do you quantify the amount of harm done to the search for a missing person?

No harm done to search.

Never happened.

People made up their own minds whether they believed the mccanns or not.

[Benice]

I don't think it will be that straightforward. The McCanns will apparently need to prove direct damage and quantify it, unless I've misunderstood.

I agree Carana - I don't see how such damage can be quantified - as they can't assess what would have happened if Amaral had not written his book.    However, I truly believe the McCanns would be more than content with a judgement  that the book is libellous - and that compensation is not their main concern.   IMO the figure of £1m plus was asked for because that was the estimated profit Amaral made from his book.  Obviously the idea of him living the high life on the back of their little girl would be grossly offensive to them.

I wouldn't like to even hazard a guess at the outcome of this trial - as nothing would surprise me.