Updated Bruce Lehrmann Pt2 * Reynolds Defamation Trial Current

[Kurve]

Here is PART 1

Historical Rape Allegation Against Fmr AG Christian Porter
The Alexander Matters matters

Just a reminder, this is the crime board and we need to be aware that there will be victims of crime either watching this thread or engaging in here from time to time. A degree of respect in all discussions is expected.

LINK TO TIMELINE
CJS INQUIRY
FINAL REPORT – BOARD OF INQUIRY – CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Joint media statement – Chief Minister and Attorney-General



FIONA BROWN - AFFIDAVIT

 

[Festerz]

Surely they're not restricted from reporting on the Reynolds defamation trial?

Not legally.

It seems to be an editorial decision.

 

[FIGJAM]

But I truly wish those defending Reynolds would just give 10% of that effort to think about being in Ms Higgins' situation for a minute...

The damage inflicted upon Higgins is orders of magnitude higher than anything Reynolds has experienced. Please remember that!

Absolutely no question on the above!

Some people seem to infer that just because you speak out about the false accusation component that you are proffering some degree of equivalency between that poor behaviour and rape, which is obviously not the case.

 

[Lady O]

Higgins received validation by way of apology and compensation, that isn't going away.

Yes, I think she was pressured into it. Reynolds might just want to get her money back and an apology from Higgins, now Justice Lee has decided that Higgins lied about her and Brown not supporting her/pressuring her not to complain/threatening her job? The "lying cow" statement was in regards to that, NOT the alleged rape.

 

[Kurve]

Yes, I think she was pressured into it. Reynolds might just want to get her money back and an apology from Higgins, now Justice Lee has decided that Higgins lied about her and Brown not supporting her/pressuring her not to complain/threatening her job? The "lying cow" statement was in regards to that, NOT the alleged rape.

Is there independent witness to the 'lying cow' comment being specific to Higgins suggestion of her and Brown not supporting her/pressuring her not to complain/threatening her job?

Or is that just what Reynolds said the comment was in reference to?

 

[Lady O]

Is there independent witness to the 'lying cow' comment being specific to Higgins suggestion of her and Brown not supporting her/pressuring her not to complain/threatening her job?

Or is that just what Reynolds said the comment was in reference to?

Members of her staff apparently were present.

 

[Festerz]

The "lying cow" statement was in regards to that, NOT the alleged rape.

Can you provide a link to verify this claim?

Because as far as I'm aware that is simply Reynolds claims of the context at this stage. Which is why that claim needs to be tested in court as part of the defamation action. And given that Reynolds was never called as a witness on this or any matter in the Lehrmann defamation action - the comments of Juctice Lee really have little bearing on the specifics of this particular matter.

Also important to take into account that Reynolds 'lying cow' comment was only made public (in the Australian newspaper of Wednesday 3 March 2021) because one of the persons in the room (all Reynolds Liberal Party staffers btw) leaked it to the press. We don't know who that person was and we don't why they provided it to the press.

But I can't imagine it would have been leaked by someone who was sympathetic to Reynolds handling of the matter. And that , to me at least, is the bigger story here.

Because if that staffer was prepared to leak details of that particular conversation to the national media to the detriment of their employer's position, what other conversations and observations might be exposed if they were prepared to front as a witness now that Reynolds is no longer in a position to exert a detrimental influence on their career?

Just saying that things may not be nearly as neatly tied up as some are claiming.

 

[Kurve]

Also important to take into account that Reynolds 'lying cow' comment was only made public (in the Australian newspaper of Wednesday 3 March 2021) because one of the persons in the room (all Reynolds Liberal Party staffers btw) leaked it to the press. We don't know who that person was and we don't why they provided it to the press.

Oh ... it was essentially leaked to The Australian?

Could it have been .... Linda ... that leaked it? As a warning shot?

 

[Festerz]

Oh ... it was essentially leaked to The Australian?

Could it have been .... Linda ... that leaked it? As a warning shot?

Yes it was linked to the Australian. And I would imagine that identifying who in Reynolds' staff leaked it was top on the chat agenda for Linda and Janet those few months. Surely they found out pretty quickly. The nature and extent of communications between Reynolds and Albrechtsen will surely get a thorough going over in the trial btw, which should be interesting to hear.

Linda issued an apology to her staff in her conditional apology to Brittany btw.

Morrison referenced that in his public comments at the time:

“She knows those comments to have been inappropriate and wrong,” “The second point, though, is they were made in her private office in a stressful week. And they weren’t made in a public place, and nor were they intended for that. That doesn’t excuse it, not for a second. And she made the appropriate apologies to her staff and rectified that.”

IMHO opens the door for Morrison to be called as a witness in the WA Supreme Court trial btw - not just on this matter but on Reynolds claim that she did not inform him or his office of the rape allegations. The obvious question (after seeking verification of which I'm sure ScoMo will surely provide under oath for one of his most loyal Ministers) will be why? Because it makes zero sense.

As for Reynolds herself being the source of the leak? Nah. That too makes no sense (but who am I kidding? There is zero sense in this mess).

 

[FIGJAM]

Can't find any exact detail on the "lying cow", but based on Reynolds' Spotlight article, there were 18 points of dispute against Reynolds by Higgins in her two interviews.

Justice Lee dismantled 17 of those 18 untruths in Reynolds' favour. The only mystery Lee didn't get to the bottom of was if the Zampatti jacket was actually in the clothing donation bin or not.

It goes against Reynolds' well-documented behaviour up until that point whereby she offered support to Higgins, including wanting to take her to the police and even got sent flowers with a thank you note from Higgins months after the event.

Reynolds believed in the reasonable possibility of there being a sexual assault. It is completely illogical to suggest that Reynolds suddenly decided to disbelieve her rape claim with the "lying cow" comment. It is logical that she was referring to the disputed claims.

 

[Kurve]

Can't find any exact detail on the "lying cow", but based on Reynolds' Spotlight article, there were 18 points of dispute against Reynolds by Higgins in her two interviews.

Do you have a link to the Spotlight article?

Reynolds believed in the reasonable possibility of there being a sexual assault. It is completely illogical to suggest that Reynolds suddenly decided to disbelieve her rape claim with the "lying cow" comment. It is logical that she was referring to the disputed claims.

That makes sense however, Linda did accept that her comment may have been understood differently.

 

[FIGJAM]

Do you have a link to the Spotlight article?

That makes sense however, Linda did accept that her comment may have been understood differently.

No doubt it could be misconstrued, particularly if it leaked in a Chinese whispers manner and whomever leaked it didn't provide any context as to when it was stated within the broadcast.

 

[Festerz]

Linda did accept that her comment may have been understood differently.

You assume it was - by one of her advisers in her office who was there when she said it ...and who told the Australian. And by those who saw that report, especially victims of sexual assault who we know face grace difficulty in having their stories accepted let alone prosecuted.

In any case, Senator Reynolds in public apology acknowledged the comment caused hurt and stress to her former staffer and rape victim:

"Given that the comment was made public, which I never intended, I also want to retract it and unreservedly apologise to Brittany Higgins and acknowledge the hurt and distress it caused to her.”

Ms Higgins said she accepted Reynolds’ apology with the settlement money (paid by Reynolds herself) going to charity:

“Any monies I have received from the Minister as part of my settlement of my claim against her (over and above my legal costs) will be paid in full to an organisation that provides counselling and support to survivors of sexual assault and abuse in the Canberra area,”

“These funds will assist them in this important work.”

She did not named the organisation but she was assisted by the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre

 

[Kurve]

How does this deserve WEEKS of court time?

Sarah Basford Canales
Lawyers, journalists and spectators are filtering into the Western Australian supreme court this morning in the centre of Perth.

Today marks the beginning of Liberal senator Linda Reynolds‘ defamation trial against her former staffer, Brittany Higgins, for social posts she says damaged her reputation.

Despite the high interest in the case, the courtroom’s gallery is almost empty with a handful of people spread out across the first few rows. There are more lawyers at this stage than spectators.

Reynolds sits in the front row flanked by family and her team. Higgins is not expected to appear in person for the first few weeks of the trial.

via Guardian Live.

 

[FIGJAM]

How does this deserve WEEKS of court time?

Deserve is an interesting choice of word! What it "deserved" was for both parties to have smoked the peace pipe, but they'll now both suffer those consequences. We won't know until costs are awarded who was the more stubborn and unreasonable of the parties.

In the absence of the middle ground, let the omnishambles continue in earnest:

Senator Reynolds's lawyer Martin Bennett has begun his address.

“Every fairytale needs a villain," he tells the court.

He said it will be alleged Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz chose Senator Reynolds as the villain “for their fictional story of a cover up" involving ill treatment, ostracisation, harassment and threatening conduct by Senator Reynolds.

"And none of it was true,” Mr Bennett told the court.

'Every fairytale needs a villain': Linda Reynolds staunchly defends role in Higgins saga, as it happened

The defamation action launched by WA Senator Linda Reynolds against Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz is now underway in Perth. Here's how the first day unfolded.

www.abc.net.au

Reynolds watched on from the front row of the public gallery as Bennett pored over the personal injury claim Higgins threatened to launch against the former defence minister and the Commonwealth in 2021 over its handling of the rape allegation, from which she netted $2.4 million.

Bennett told the court Reynolds was sidelined in the dispute, which was being handled on her behalf by federal solicitors, and its prompt settlement and the subsequent media coverage implied guilt.



“Any person in Australia reading this would think the allegations made by Higgins were so true, so damning and so correct against Reynolds that the Commonwealth paid millions in damages on proceedings not yet filed,” he said.

“The claims made by Ms Higgins were false, and Senator Reynolds was denied the time and appropriate funding to defend the actions of herself and her staff.”

The court has since been shown photographs and correspondence from Higgins’ brief stint on the campaign trail in Perth ahead of the 2019 federal election.

Higgins claims she spent the six-week stint ostracised and shut in a Perth hotel room seven days a week.

But Bennett said the evidence suggested otherwise, with photographs and social media posts showing Higgins door-knocking, sightseeing, attending events and socialising at The Camfield.

“She doesn’t appear to be anything other than a young, vivacious, door-knocker campaigning for [Liberal candidate] Mr David Goode,” he said.

As it happened: PM travels to Arnhem Land; Report on Israeli strike that killed Australian in Gaza released

Read the national news headlines for Friday, August 2.

www.theage.com.au

Reynolds revises claim, adds two recent Higgins publications​

Linda Reynolds has applied to add another two publications by Brittany Higgins to her statement of claim.

Ms Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett opened the trial by saying his client had filed another revised statement of claim including two recent publications by Ms Higgins, which he said “aggravated the hurt” of Senator Reynolds.

He also said an affidavit of discovery filed by Ms Higgins remained unsworn, which he said was “frankly a ridiculous position to be placed in”.

“Ms Higgins is enjoying a life in France apparently but doesn’t have time to find a notary,” Mr Bennett said.

He also noted that “certain deleted images” from an exchange between Ms Higgins and her now-husband Mr Sharaz had still not been provided to him and Senator Reynolds.

Mr Bennett said Mr Sharaz still had the images but had so far refused to hand them over.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/reynolds-sues-higgins-linda-reynolds-showdown-with-brittany-higgins-set-to-begin/live-coverage/beb748aaabcace160f874be72dddf069

 

[Kurve]

Deserve is an interesting choice of word! What it "deserved" was for both parties to have smoked the peace pipe, but they'll now both suffer those consequences. We won't know until costs are awarded who was the more stubborn and unreasonable of the parties.

In the absence of the middle ground, let the omnishambles continue in earnest:

'Every fairytale needs a villain': Linda Reynolds staunchly defends role in Higgins saga, as it happened

The defamation action launched by WA Senator Linda Reynolds against Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz is now underway in Perth. Here's how the first day unfolded.

www.abc.net.au

As it happened: PM travels to Arnhem Land; Report on Israeli strike that killed Australian in Gaza released

Read the national news headlines for Friday, August 2.

www.theage.com.au

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/reynolds-sues-higgins-linda-reynolds-showdown-with-brittany-higgins-set-to-begin/live-coverage/beb748aaabcace160f874be72dddf069

They always exaggerate in opening addresses. Higgins didn't say she was ostracized as I recall, she said it all felt 'weird'. I can understand that, everything probably felt weird and uncomfortable.

 

[campbell]

How does this deserve WEEKS of court time?

Sarah Basford Canales
Lawyers, journalists and spectators are filtering into the Western Australian supreme court this morning in the centre of Perth.

Today marks the beginning of Liberal senator Linda Reynolds‘ defamation trial against her former staffer, Brittany Higgins, for social posts she says damaged her reputation.

Despite the high interest in the case, the courtroom’s gallery is almost empty with a handful of people spread out across the first few rows. There are more lawyers at this stage than spectators.

Reynolds sits in the front row flanked by family and her team. Higgins is not expected to appear in person for the first few weeks of the trial.

via Guardian Live.

No ones is there to see an entitled politician, take and ex employee who has been r*ped in her office, to court.

This women is a disgrace and no one appears to like her.

 

[jason_recliner]

Deserve is an interesting choice of word! What it "deserved" was for both parties to have smoked the peace pipe, but they'll now both suffer those consequences. We won't know until costs are awarded who was the more stubborn and unreasonable of the parties.

In the absence of the middle ground, let the omnishambles continue in earnest:

'Every fairytale needs a villain': Linda Reynolds staunchly defends role in Higgins saga, as it happened

The defamation action launched by WA Senator Linda Reynolds against Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz is now underway in Perth. Here's how the first day unfolded.

www.abc.net.au

As it happened: PM travels to Arnhem Land; Report on Israeli strike that killed Australian in Gaza released

Read the national news headlines for Friday, August 2.

www.theage.com.au

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/reynolds-sues-higgins-linda-reynolds-showdown-with-brittany-higgins-set-to-begin/live-coverage/beb748aaabcace160f874be72dddf069

Enough with "omnishambles", PLEASE. It's so twee.

 

[Kurve]

No ones is there to see an entitled politician, take and ex employee who has been r*ped in her office, to court.

This women is a disgrace and no one appears to like her.

I had to LOL at the headline screaming it's a 'blockbuster trial' when apparently the only people outside court staff there, were Reynolds family and her legal team.

https://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/blockbuster-defamation-trial-between-linda-reynolds-and-brittany-higgins-to-begin-in-perth/news-story/75d39d9f752c38996de33ede94ac62d2

 

[CD Xbow]

No ones is there to see an entitled politician, take and ex employee who has been r*ped in her office, to court.

This women is a disgrace and no one appears to like her.

By going to court, she only worsens her reputation. She is clearly not smart enough to see that. It doesn't matter if legally she wins, she has already tanked her reputation. She also risks more unflattering details leaking out. We have already found out Reynolds repeatedly leaked confidential correspondence about Ms Higgins’ compensation payout to Janet Albrechtsen. That's really low, and I think Higgins is saying it's a form of harassment.

 

[Percel]

Enough with "omnishambles", PLEASE. It's so twee.

It’s getting past embarrassing

 

[FIGJAM]

Enough with "omnishambles", PLEASE. It's so twee.

Cheerfully withdrawn!

It’s getting past embarrassing

As above.

 

[spike101]

Her view is that Ms Higgins cost her career and wants her on her knees for that.

Pretty stock standard behaviour when someone has a grievance, where they cant tend to look outside their own bubble at the big picture

Fiona Brown, how is she going?

 

[spike101]

Fiona Brown has been missed in all of this and Reynolds is fighting for her too, Brown looked awful during the case

 

[spike101]

Yes- very odd behaviour from a serving Senator. Pretty clear what would happen if a public servant was caught out doing the same thing.

If?

 

[spike101]

Not a problem. Thanks for asking nicely. A refreshing change!

I am not in "strident support" for Reynolds at all! I've stated many times that I don't much like her and feel like she's a bit of a walking omnishambles in her own right.

I've said that I don't agree with her current legal action.

I certainly don't agree with her "lying cow" comment (which wasn't related to the rape itself, although it's often painted that way).

The choice of her office for the Monday meeting with Britany was certainly dumb.

I don't care that her husband went to court, as it wasn't televised and without the false allegations component, I doubt she'd have done much more than keep an eye on it through the news.



Ultimately, it's this false allegation component that has driven any of this noise and why I feel so strongly that it's continually underplayed. I feel for Brown and Reynolds in this regard, even if the latter is, as I've inferred above, a bit of a bitch and a sub-par decision maker.

Omnishambless first cropped up in that brilliant tv show, The Thick of It; Lee should be sent to purgatory for not referencing it and failed for plagiarism