Smithy charged with making racist remarks

[Paoli]

Originally Posted by Occasional

But not any more. The hearing has taken place and Smith was acquitted. Time to get on with the next issue.

(This is not in anyway to condone remarks such as those you set out, Ninjaman. If said by anyone, they would be deplorable, that goes without saying, I hope.)

In theory, you are right OF. In theory. In theory, if an alleged murderer gets off due to lack of evidence; as it may have been in this case, or they get off on technicalities, it doesn't mean they didn't do it. Most of the time they did do it. I didn't have any access to this series bar Cricinfo and was unable to hear anything or see anything of it.

And of course, you cannot condone it, as the ZCU should but haven't realised, it leaves you open to alot of embarrasment and defending; and even cancelling ICC Crisis meetings!

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

In theory, if an alleged murderer gets off due to lack of evidence; as it may have been in this case, or they get off on technicalities, it doesn't mean they didn't do it.

Of course. But even so, one must move on. The issue must be closed by the acquittal, or what is the hearing for?

Originally Posted by Paoli69

Most of the time they did do it.

I am not sure there is any evidence to support that. But the whole point of our criminal justice systems (UK and Australia) is that they require proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a convinction can be entered. That is up to the prosecutors to provide, not the defendant.

Now, in the case of Graeme Smith, the "prosecutor" was unable to prove the allegation which had been made, hence Smith was acquitted. End of story (and here, we are talking about an allegation which, however serious we may think it, surely falls short of an allegation of murder).