Lovett to stand trial over rape allegation

[Herne Hill Hammer]

It proves that the girl was on some harsh drugs and booze if she thought Lovett Murray was Gram...

Is that you Hutchy getting it wrong again?

 

[TRAWP]

Is that you Hutchy getting it wrong again?

Dont mind me, I always get mixed up between the two of them lol

 

[Tas]

First i gotta be careful in regards to comment bout Lovett (cos i got banned once). Now having said that, the picture isn't pretty for Lovett. Regardless the outcome of this trail, Lovett's career is ruined, no AFL club will want and no VFL want to associate with him. As an outsider, he really should have known better. In western democracies, you really don't want to get involved with racism or sexual assault accusations. In Lovett's case, he is more or less immune from racism but totally vulnerable to sexual assault possibilities becaues he is man.

He is immune to racism because he is Aboriginal? That is a pretty absurd comment.

If Lovett avoids conviction he will be free to play, will someone take him? Depends on if they think he can still play. He could probably go to a club like Hawthorn for the cost of a spot on their list and he could be the difference between some coaches keeping their job or not, the coaches will want to pick anyone who they think will get the job done.

Clubs that are not in the mix will likely avoid him.

He is still innocent until proven guilty, if he escapes conviction I am sure there would be a few clubs tempted to give him a shot if he plays well in the local comp.

 

[TRAWP]

Tas I do agree partially with Radical Roo, look at Matty Johns from the NRL. Even if he's proven guilty which is probably what will happen he still will have that mark against his name. But then again look what Richmond did with Cousins, and he hasnt been too bad for them for a cheap price.

 

[clobba]

It will be a massive distraction for the St Kilda footy club. This is a rape trial, not a trivial speeding offence.

Lovett's lawyers will cross-examine the living daylights out of Gram, McQualter and everyone else who was there that night. No doubt the examination will lead to Gram and co. admitting to be severely drunk that night and getting up to some type of questionable behaviour.

When you're going for the flag the last thing you need is a front page news spread stating your players got plastered and shacked up with multiple women in one night. Sure, we all know it happens all the time with footy players....but you don't want that kind of heat leading up to a final.

St Kilda would be shitting themselves right now, and so they should be. They should be planning some serious damage control right now, cause it's going to hit the fan very soon.

------

From the extract's of the committals in the article, Lovett is in some deep doo doo. Sleep and being highly intoxicated vitiates any consent the victim gave prior to or after the act. You simply cannot have sex with someone if they are asleep or very drunk...under ANY circumstance.

The fact that McQualter was sober and an eye witness means Lovett's lawyers are going to have a very hard time getting him off. It looks very likely that this guy is going behind bars for the best part of a decade.

Yeah it will be a shock to the players having to go to court for a day or 2 and give evidence against some fly in they never played with our finals are definately ****ed

 

[clobba]

I will take a different tact.

The sad part of this episode is that the StKilda players who brought the woman back to the apartment,failed in their duty of care to protect the woman.

Lovett has a track record of inappropriate behaviour towards woman,so the Saint's players should have been more vigilant.

Yeah because I would watch out for my mates around any unconcious women I had let sleep something off rather than take advantage of her while pissed, after all a true manly man is constantly fighting the urge to stick anything not moving. Its all our players fault...poor Andrew why did we not provide a better duty of care, damn bitch hussy wantonly lying there unconcious...

 

[G.O.B]

It now seems that the Captain of the club received a frantic phone call from Sam Fisher but decided to bury his head in the sand under the proviso that he thought "they were joking" and proceeded to turn his phone off.

Nick Riewoldt was in bed asleep when he received a "frantic" call from Fisher about 2.30am saying police were at the apartment. "I turned my phone off thinking they were joking," he said.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/sex-booze-and-home-truths-sour-st-kilda-mates-night/story-e6frf7kx-1225904118764

 

[PTizzle]

The whole way the situation seems to have played out just doesn't seem like she'd be falsely accusing. Lovett may not have known she didn't want it but it's still inexcusable.

 

[Ricmel]

Not quite. The fact of her being asleep isn't so much relevant because there's nothing (that we know of) to corroborate the fact that she was asleep, and her being asleep isn't significant unless you can convince the jury she was indeed so. It will be easier to prove how drunk she was because everyone who was there during the earlier evening of the evening can testify to that, and the prosecution can use this to argue that she could not possibly have been in a state to consent, and Lovett knew it, or must have known it. That's still not a slam dunk argument though, but it's a pretty good start down the road to that.

Based on what we know, McQualter is not actually an eyewitness to anything, because according to what he said he didn't arrive until she was already crying. That's not to say there are no eyewitnesses at all, the prosecution may well be deciding to keep some of their powder dry for the trial and only release it then, but if there are no eyewitnesses in the room when she said no, it will be a hard case to prove.

I agree. Unless their are details we have not heard about, there does not appear to be any eyewitness. Most of what the players who were there know seems to come from what the woman and Lovett said.

 

[WN123]

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the conflicting story.
I was asleep. I thought it was Gram. which one of these??

 

[Ricmel]

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the conflicting story.
I was asleep. I thought it was Gram. which one of these??

Yes I did.

 

[jimmy35]

Just wondering if anyone else has noticed the conflicting story.
I was asleep. I thought it was Gram. which one of these??

My guess would be she woke up at some stage.

 

[Amber Guzzler]

My guess would be she woke up at some stage.

Or was never really asleep.

 

[Papa Juggs]

Somebody should've decked this idiot on the night.

Now I wish we did get Cuz

 

[clobba]

Somebody should've decked this idiot on the night.

Now I wish we did get Cuz

I always did

 

[Final Siren]

If the woman is lying, Lovett may be innocent. If she's telling the truth, he's definitely guilty. It's that simple, boys.

Incidentally, I think it's unfair that Lovett is publicly named but the woman is not. Lovett's life has been destroyed before he even goes to trial. If he's guilty, that would have come out eventually anyway. If he's innocent, nothing will make up for the damage that's been done to him.

 

[Prem87]

If the woman is lying, Lovett may be innocent. If she's telling the truth, he's definitely guilty. It's that simple, boys.

Incidentally, I think it's unfair that Lovett is publicly named but the woman is not. Lovett's life has been destroyed before he even goes to trial. If he's guilty, that would have come out eventually anyway. If he's innocent, nothing will make up for the damage that's been done to him.

Exactly.

 

[00Stinger]

Lets put this into perspective. Imagine this is you in this scenario.

You are out drinking with a group of mates and a couple of girls. During the night your mate has kissed one of the women a couple of times. Later on you all go back to your mates house, now the girl he has been kissing is trashed and your mate puts her to bed in HIS bed, in HIS room.
(a) Would you later on in the night go into your mates room where his lady friend is sleeping in his bed???
(b) If you answered yes to (a) would you proceed to have sex with her???

 

[TRAWP]

Lets put this into perspective. Imagine this is you in this scenario.

You are out drinking with a group of mates and a couple of girls. During the night your mate has kissed one of the women a couple of times. Later on you all go back to your mates house, now the girl he has been kissing is trashed and your mate puts her to bed in HIS bed, in HIS room.
(a) Would you later on in the night go into your mates room where his lady friend is sleeping in his bed???
(b) If you answered yes to (a) would you proceed to have sex with her???

If thats how it went down then yes he should be in trouble. But I doubt it did, he is an AFL player he'd get offers left right and center from club groupies etc. There would be no need to do this.

 

[Amber Guzzler]

Lets put this into perspective. Imagine this is you in this scenario.

You are out drinking with a group of mates and a couple of girls. During the night your mate has kissed one of the women a couple of times. Later on you all go back to your mates house, now the girl he has been kissing is trashed and your mate puts her to bed in HIS bed, in HIS room.
(a) Would you later on in the night go into your mates room where his lady friend is sleeping in his bed???
(b) If you answered yes to (a) would you proceed to have sex with her???

I really couldn't answer unless you can post the other 98% of the story, which appears to be missing from your scenario.

 

[old_clint]

Not quite. The fact of her being asleep isn't so much relevant because there's nothing (that we know of) to corroborate the fact that she was asleep, and her being asleep isn't significant unless you can convince the jury she was indeed so. It will be easier to prove how drunk she was because everyone who was there during the earlier evening of the evening can testify to that, and the prosecution can use this to argue that she could not possibly have been in a state to consent, and Lovett knew it, or must have known it. That's still not a slam dunk argument though, but it's a pretty good start down the road to that.

Based on what we know, McQualter is not actually an eyewitness to anything, because according to what he said he didn't arrive until she was already crying. That's not to say there are no eyewitnesses at all, the prosecution may well be deciding to keep some of their powder dry for the trial and only release it then, but if there are no eyewitnesses in the room when she said no, it will be a hard case to prove.

And the Prosecution might rightly query why Lovett elected to remain alone with the sleeping woman instead of following the "party" to the balcony when for the rest of the evening for him had been one of bonhomie and "hail fellow, well-met". It might ask if he was concerned for the welfare of the young woman or if indeed his motives were opportunistic .

 

[bohdan]

Unfortunately his trail will do more than just derailing a finals campaign. Lovett's issue will put unnecessary stain on the reputation of the entire St Kilda football club. Other than the Lovett rape case, there have been two previous cases of sex related cases with the Milne, Montagna incident as well as the football clinic teen pregnancy incident.

This does not help St Kilda and its stakeholders any help at all. First it gives people a bad impression of its recruitment department of not doing enough research. Second, it's the social attitude to St Kilda and their players. Women will think twice bout dating st kilda players. Future players may not want to go St Kilda. Other players might think twice about receiving players coming from St Kilda in case he is a sex offender.

St Kilda need to be quick and decisive in cutting out Lovett. Stipulate Lovett has nothing to do with St Kilda. Ditch him now. After this year reveal the main culprit in the footy clinic and offer him to the police. Get rid of Milne and Montagna. Be ruthless, be decisive, cut out the cancerous part of the club and start anew.

If St Kilda doesn't act decisively, they are in serious trouble of becoming misunderstood by the public. Take me for instance, i will never allow my kids to hang out with any saints player. I will never allow my sons to be drafted or traded to St Kilda. I will certainly not associate with any St Kilda players.

possibly the stupidest thing i have ever read

 

[Ando727]

possibly the stupidest thing i have ever read

Well, he is a "Radical Roo".....

 

[Supernova]

This thread is disturbing...

I totally agree but for completely different reasons. What i find disturbing about the thread is how so many people are so quick to play judge jury and executioner and finding Lovett guilty until proven innocent instead of the other way around. You're all so willing (especially St Kilda fans) to take the girls words as gospel and won't dare even for one second contemplate she's not telling the truth and at the same time you're every bit as adament that Lovett is blatantly lying.

You blokes with the holier than thou attitude are so quick to ridicule and mock others who are trying to be objective by looking at BOTH sides of the story and essentially treating the accused exactly what the law states and that's innocent until PROVEN guilty.

 

[dogz]

I don't want to make judgements.
Too early.
The only comment I will make is that reading articles, Saints fans should be happy to have guys like McQualter at the club.
Seems like a decent bloke.