Prudent move

THE mounting number of Jimmy Savile revelations include the words “there were rumours” uttered by executives in the BBC and other organisations.

Apparently the rumours were not supported by the often repeated “evidence” and could not be investigated.

Surely if there had been any concern at all by anybody, it would have been prudent to find the source of the rumour/rumours and thereby evidence of his alleged foul deeds.

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.

Comments(8)

Firedrake says...
4:25pm Thu 18 Oct 12

I am not entirely clear what point the letter writer is making here; whether he/she is doubting the severity of the allegations against Jimmy Savile or criticising the BBC and others for failing to investigate further.

It certainly does look pretty bad for Savile (no smoke without fire and all that - although that can be a dangerous assumption) but I am a little uneasy at the way the media are openly stating as fact information which still needs to be tested objectively through the promised investigations. After all, if he were still alive and facing charges, about two thirds of what's been stated publically would be held in contempt of court for fear of prejudicing a jury and making a fair trial impossible.

I know it isn't possible to "libel the dead" under English law (not sure about Scottish) and this presumably accounts for the unrestrained "mediafest" around the case (JS is hardly in a position sue!) but I'd be intrigued to know what - if any - legal mechanisms exist to ensure that even a posthumous investigation is fair as it is rigorous.

Any (real) lawyers out there care to explain?

Seadog says...
6:24pm Thu 18 Oct 12

I fear any "real" lawyers out here might demand a fee up front, but I dare say you'll get plenty of comments from the "barrack-room" variety!

Magicman! says...
4:12am Fri 19 Oct 12

Surely if people had been abused by Savile, they would have come forward whilst he was, um, ALIVE - so as then to see him get punished.
It has started off with one TV programme stating 2 people who say they were abused - and then suddenly a whole raft of people come out of the woodwork staing the same thing. Because the guy's dead they can't get real justice if the allegations are proven true which likely means they're not after justice but money - just like that kid who's parents made him say Micheal Jackson abused him.

CHISSY1 says...
10:55am Fri 19 Oct 12

Magicman! wrote:
Surely if people had been abused by Savile, they would have come forward whilst he was, um, ALIVE - so as then to see him get punished.
It has started off with one TV programme stating 2 people who say they were abused - and then suddenly a whole raft of people come out of the woodwork staing the same thing. Because the guy's dead they can't get real justice if the allegations are proven true which likely means they're not after justice but money - just like that kid who's parents made him say Micheal Jackson abused him.
"I agree with you on that one".

Firedrake says...
11:47am Fri 19 Oct 12

Unfortunately some people are too afraid to come forward at the time - which may be what was going on here.

Ichabod76 says...
5:30pm Fri 19 Oct 12

Firedrake wrote:
Unfortunately some people are too afraid to come forward at the time - which may be what was going on here.
I don't believe that all of the 400 or so people who are accusing him of abuse
would be too scared to come forward

maybe 75% but that still leaves 100 or so people that would have to have been taken seriously not just brushed under the carpet

I also fear this is only about money

Seadog says...
8:09pm Fri 19 Oct 12

But no-one has actually answered Firedrake's original question concerning legal safeguards in the context of a posthumous investigation.

Perhaps "real" lawyers don't read the Press on-line and are therefore unable to comment.

capt spaulding says...
1:27pm Sat 20 Oct 12

Theres no fee in it for them.

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