Bella Trial Set This Month

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MikeB
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Being here wouldn't help. The local papers have nothing recent, I found this from 6 days ago. Looks like a recess was declared until Dec.12 so the 12 year old witness “won’t be strained.”GMA is hogging all the news so Bella gets a reprieve. Smart move to stop giving interviews.

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Markham
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There was to have been a hearing on Tuesday (29th) - it was time-tabled - but apparently the prosecution asked for it to be deferred; the 12th December was the next available "slot". Unfortunately we won't know many details of what's going on in the case because all the hearings involving children are being heard in the Judge's Chambers away from the press and public. Their testimony may never be made public. Whilst I can't divulge any real details, I can give some interesting snippets of information:

  • Firstly, the current series of hearings are in connection with Santos' application for Bail and when that concludes - in possibly six months' time - the case will revert to "pre-trial status" once more;
  • It is not known whether the prosecution witnesses will have to give evidence again once the main trial begins. This would, of course, give the Prosecution a second bite of the cherry but as they were the ones who proposed that their witnesses' oral evidence be included as its 'evidence in chief", they've more or less backed themselves into a corner on that one;
  • On the first day of the Bail hearing, no fewer than seven Prosecuting Counsel showed-up in Court - however only two, a State Prosecutor and a CLB prosecuting lawyer were permitted to remain. The defence fielded two Counsel, both of whom remained;
  • The CLB is currently taking the lead as Prosecutors;
  • The CLB lawyer, Attorney Amit, spent the first few minutes of the initial hearing arguing that Santos and her Counsel be excluded from the hearing on the grounds that "the child witness might be troubled by their presence";
  • Having lost that motion, Attorney Amit then asked for the defence Counsel to be position at the back of the child witness so that they could not observe her. That motion too was defeated;
  • And during that first hearing - the direct examination of the first child witness - the Judge rebuked the CLB lawyer at least four times for coaching, signalling or for suggesting answers to her witness.

As for Bella keeping quiet, she has been instructed to do so and has refused to give interviews at the Jail and has not been answering any reporters' questions when she arrives or leaves the Courthouse.

Edited by Markham
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Steve & Myrlita
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As for Bella keeping quiet, she has been instructed to do so and has refused to give interviews at the Jail and has not been answering any reporters' questions when she arrives or leaves the Courthouse.
It sounds like Bella finally figured out her right to remain silent.
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Markham
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As for Bella keeping quiet, she has been instructed to do so and has refused to give interviews at the Jail and has not been answering any reporters' questions when she arrives or leaves the Courthouse.
It sounds like Bella finally figured out her right to remain silent.
Don't be too harsh on her. I'm told that she's naturally an outgoing woman who enjoys talking to people and is a pro-active conversationalist. However, she's somewhat dismayed by reading reports of statements she purportedly made which are either completely inaccurate or are sound bites taken completely out of context. So I rather think she didn't actually need to be told not to make any further statements, comments or give press interviews.
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