The
experience of having sustained the effects of false accusations for a year,
American DJ Paul Gambaccini, who has worked in the British media industry and
resided in the country for many years, is quite heart-felt in speaking about what happened
to him in being falsely accused and he is adamant that he does not want to see other people go through
what he went through, before his name was cleared and he managed to
get some but not all, of his life back.
Read
his story here in the dailymail.co.uk: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-2983606%2FIs-going-terribly-wrong-British-justice-DJ-Paul-Gambaccini-spent-YEAR-bail-case-against-groundless-innocent-proved-guilty.html
Of
course, in some cases different to Gambaccini’s, not every situation where a person has been cleared, necessarily means the evidence isn’t
there, it may mean that it just hasn’t surfaced.
However,
in this case, Gambaccini has definitely been cleared of the allegations made
against him and he feels for other celebrities who he believes may be having to walk down the same nightmare path he has.
Another even more disturbing case of false allegation is US
father, Daryl Kelly’s really scary story written by Jennifer Gonnerman from the
New York News & Politics magazine in December, 2013.This is just how bad it can
get being the victim of a false accusation and when something really goes belly up
in the justice system:
Here
are some valuable tips to help people who may be wrongfully accused, from The Law Dictionary:
How to handle being wrongfully accused
People can
be devastated by being wrongfully accused of something and they can be caught
off guard, leading to errors that can be extremely costly in the long run.
It is essential
to ensure you are taking the right steps to protect yourself against potential
loss.
Take action immediately:
It is
important not to go into denial. Face up to what is happening immediately
and directly. Try to hire a lawyer before any formal legal
action can take place.
It is then
the lawyer’s job to advise the client on the following steps:
This may
include filing a pre-emptive police report. In many situations, the person who
files the initial report is viewed as the victim rather than the perpetrator
regardless of the circumstances.
You need to take your Right to Remain Silent:
People
rarely know in advance of false accusation/s of a crime. Police raids are
unexpected or they serve papers suddenly. When this happens, it is essential
that all parties remain silent until a lawyer can be present. Help with the
details will come from your legal
counsel who will also get rid of any possibility of mistakes being made
under the situation of duress.
Refuse
Unwarranted Searches
Warrants make
the difference between property searches carried out with the accused’s formal permission
and when it is not. In the case of a trial, the police are required to adhere
to the rules set out in the warrant. When verbal only permission is given,
these rules are not necessarily followed.
Get yourself the best lawyer possible:
It is an
expensive business proving you are innocent but the best lawyer could mean the
difference between being found innocent and being wrongfully convicted of a
crime.
Hire a
lawyer who is experienced in this type of crime.
If money is
an issue, ensure you stay involved in the situation and don’t just rely on the
ability of the lawyer in this case.
Paper trail keeping is important:
Keep filed
in a safe place documented record of each and every conversation and everything that happens.
Use a tape
recorder with all conversations per phone between the accused and other people.
Keep documented record of everything about the case and after it.
Documents
may hold valuable information that may exonerate the victim.
Don’t go for plea bargains:
Because
courts are very busy some accused are offered a plea bargain.
Although
these may seem a good option to push things along faster, they are considered
admitting guilt which can affect significant areas of the accused’s life such
as getting jobs, credit, parental rights and the list goes on.
Seek financial relief for costs:
Defending a
wrongful accusation in court may incur massive amounts of money in court costs
and legal fees.
Likewise,
the accused may lose his/her job which makes life difficult financially.
Even once
innocence has been proven, the accused’s reputation may be tarnished for life
and the personal life significantly affected.
A person
falsely accused can sue for financial compensation
and have an official acknowledgement
of the wrongful accusation.
Sometimes innocent people end up being convicted of crimes they didn't commit based on false testimony and a flawed judicial system or end up losing everything because of the manipulations of others with agendas based on greed. I know I've witnessed both of those kind of events personally right here in Northland.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's interesting the points made in regard to the questions that were asked of Gambaccini's friends during his experience and people who may be going after celebrities for financial gain.
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