Trial By Media / Social Media

Pross
Pross Posts: 40,213
edited November 2017 in The cake stop
With all the recent 'revelations' and accusations recently coming out about Holywood players and British politicians it has felt like quite often we have move to people being deemed guilty with no defence. Whilst I accept that in many of these cases someone has spoken out about someone who has abused their power and got away with it I've felt there was an issue that the accused aren't getting a chance to defend themselves in some cases. It seems this has claimed a victim today in Welsh Assembly Member Carl Sergant who killed himself after being sacked from the Assembly and suspended from his party last week. Apparently he hadn't even been given details of the accusations against him. He may or may not have done whatever is alleged but surely there should be due process where an accused person hears details of all allegations against them and is able to give their version? I accept that in some cases people may need to be suspended while investigations are carried out but to sack someone when they don't even know what they've been accused of seems a step too far.

Comments

  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    You re right Pross, i felt uncomfortable hearing this very sad story on the news tonight, he should have been informed of the accusation though.

    until we hear the allegation, we dont know if it were right to sack him, however in my very limited experience of suicide, its rarely one event that triggers it.
  • ballysmate
    ballysmate Posts: 15,921
    I hesitate to post this but, I agree with Mamba. He should have been informed of the accusations.

    It would also appear from recent s events that it is rare for social media to return a verdict of 'Not Guilty!'
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    It is the salem witch hunt for the digital generation. Crazy. I suspect that people are being made scapegoats - the behaviour of the many smoke screened by the falling of the few. A bit like Lance Armstrong really.