Keep prior convictions from juries

There seems to be a push for juries to be told of the defendant’s prior convictions - after a couple of cases where previously convicted criminals have received a not guilty verdict or agreed to lesser charges much to the dismay of police and victim’s groups.

Such verdicts occur, not because the jury was unaware of the defendant’s record, but, because the prosecution was unable to present a sufficient case to convict.

The idea of withholding prior convictions from the jury is for a case to be decided on its own merits, and not to be prejudiced by a person’s character. If the prosecution cannot provide a strong enough case to convince a jury of that person’s guilt, then it doesn’t matter what priors they have.

And while knowledge of prior convictions can influence a guilty verdict, a clean record could raise doubts.

Of course the judge is privy to a defendant’s record and will use it if it comes to sentencing.

The system ain’t perfect but as the American humorist Dave Barry said: “As much as we complain about it, we have to admit that we know of no better system, except possibly flipping a coin.”

What’s with chroming

 

I’m a reasonably fortunate guy, so I fail to appreciate how someone would think putting their head in a plastic bag full of paint and sniffing it so they get sick look the recipient of a “dirty Sanchez” from C-3PO, in the presence of shocked commuters, would be a step in the right direction.

And what is it about chroming that makes it a better experience while on a moving peak-hour train? Is the high better when you sicken people? You couldn’t be telling the world you’ve given up on life more if you showed up to a wedding in tracksuit pants.

What high is worth short term effects like flu-like symptoms, diarrhoea, vomiting, nosebleeds, sores around the mouth and nose, the possibly of suffocating on plastic bags, choking on vomit being involved in an accident? Then there’s the long-term effects like kidney or liver failure, not that I’d expect anyone who walks through the paint section at Bunnings and thinks “yum” would be thinking too far ahead.

And if it’s so dangerous to sniffer and those around them how come chroming is not illegal?  It’s strange that, in this over-regulated country we live in there are calls to ban paintball but not paint sniffing.

I know we’re meant to tread on eggshells around people like chromers- after all many are sick, unfortunate and deeply troubled and the “high” they get sniffing paint provides an escape from horrors that don’t even exist in the nightmares of most people.

But fuck me dead people there’s a time and place. Chromers, take your spray paint and plastic bag, put that hood over your head and get the fuck off the train and do that somewhere else. Better still take note of the horrified faces of the people you do it around and realise just what the fuck you’re doing to yourself.

Come on! Pull your head in Hewitt

I don’t how he can, but Australia’s most unpopular sportsperson is registering his arrogant hand gesture that has become the symbol of what a little shit he is.

I’m not sure how trademarking the movement of a bodypart will pay off for Lleyton Hewitt. Even if we had to pay him royalties, the money won’t exactly come rolling in as it’s not exactly a gesture that one makes normally unless they:

• Are doing a hand puppet show which involves having a discussion with an emu
• Are an ancient Egyptian
• Are an unloved tennis player who often talks to the same hand they’ve long had sexual relations with.

Anyway the “vicht” salute isn’t even Lleyton’s. The rights were actually held by former Swedish players Matts Wilander (someone whose compusure and sportsmanship Hewitt can learn from) and Niclas Kroon who let the trademark lapse. It is also used by other sportsmen like Grant Hackett (an Aussie sportsman in the true sense of the word) and Adelaide Crows defender Andrew McLeod as well as millions of other people who happen to have an arm, hand and wrist.