Magistrate Reprimanded

should veils be allowed in all cases?

  • yes they should

    Votes: 1 2.5%
  • the lunatics have won. (NO)

    Votes: 39 97.5%

  • Total voters
    40
  • Poll closed .
Hussain made a formal complaint and yesterday Mr Murray, a JP for 12 years, was handed a formal reprimand by Justice Minister Jack Straw and the Lord Chief Justice.

Surely not the same Jack Straw who requested muslim women to remove their veil when speaking to him?
 
The hypocrisy of this government never ceases to amaze me. As Willow says, Jack Straw was the one who spoke out against his constituents wearing the veil when they visited him and now he has the sheer gall to reprimand this magistrate. Do as I say, not as I do... :rolleyes:
 
Yea, I was being sarcastic Cashy.
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I dont have a Qu'ran in front of me i'm afraid, but I have many muslim female friends who have explained the reasoning behind it. Not all custom and tradition is written into the bible, just like catholic women used to have veils over their heads in church. Nothing about it in the catholic bible as far as I've ever seen yet it was done.

Who's place is it to criticise another cultures beliefs? Dont we whinge when other cultures alledgedly criticise our christmas and say we cant have 'christmas lights' and all that rubbish? I've never met a muslim who's agreed with that, yet i think its a disgrace how many people simply just dont want them to wear it because they cant think of a better solution, IF there is even a problem to be solved.
I notice that the magistrate in question has been ‘re-trained’.

“When in Rome” springs to mind blazey.

The accused and any witnesses giving evidence must have their faces visible so that the emotion expressed in the face is visible to the bench when being cross examined. Hidden behind a veil the accused or witness could be lying in their teeth and no one would know. Juries would certainly want to see the face of the witness and accused.

Imagine if the magistrate was a Muslim women? Would she be allowed to wear a veil whilst on the bench? Would the council for defence or prosecution be allowed to wear a veil? Would any of the court officials be allowed to wear a veil? They might in a Muslim court but such a court has no legal standing in this country even if the Muslims are trying to establish their own courts.

It will be interesting to see what happens if a Muslim woman is called for jury service and turns up fully veiled.
 
I notice that the magistrate in question has been ‘re-trained’.

“When in Rome” springs to mind blazey.

The accused and any witnesses giving evidence must have their faces visible so that the emotion expressed in the face is visible to the bench when being cross examined. Hidden behind a veil the accused or witness could be lying in their teeth and no one would know. Juries would certainly want to see the face of the witness and accused.

Imagine if the magistrate was a Muslim women? Would she be allowed to wear a veil whilst on the bench? Would the council for defence or prosecution be allowed to wear a veil? Would any of the court officials be allowed to wear a veil? They might in a Muslim court but such a court has no legal standing in this country even if the Muslims are trying to establish their own courts.

It will be interesting to see what happens if a Muslim woman is called for jury service and turns up fully veiled.
cant believe this i agree with you for once lol
 
I notice that the magistrate in question has been ‘re-trained’.

“When in Rome” springs to mind blazey.

The accused and any witnesses giving evidence must have their faces visible so that the emotion expressed in the face is visible to the bench when being cross examined. Hidden behind a veil the accused or witness could be lying in their teeth and no one would know. Juries would certainly want to see the face of the witness and accused.

Imagine if the magistrate was a Muslim women? Would she be allowed to wear a veil whilst on the bench? Would the council for defence or prosecution be allowed to wear a veil? Would any of the court officials be allowed to wear a veil? They might in a Muslim court but such a court has no legal standing in this country even if the Muslims are trying to establish their own courts.

It will be interesting to see what happens if a Muslim woman is called for jury service and turns up fully veiled.
the last ones interesting,cos if such a woman was a veil wearer normally, how would they know if it was her that turned up for jury service?:confused:
 
As I have said already, it is very simple for a woman wearing the veil to be taken in private by a female member of staff and prove her identity, it should have any affect on her sitting for jury service at all.
 
As I have said already, it is very simple for a woman wearing the veil to be taken in private by a female member of staff and prove her identity, it should have any affect on her sitting for jury service at all.
Simple question.

Would you like a witness in a veil giving evidence against you that could send you to jail?
 
Does a veil impair their intelligence and common sense?
What’s that got to do with it?

Do you always answer a question by asking a question? Or is it possibly that to answer the question truthfully you would shoot yourself down in flames?
 
Oh sh**, I agree with jb too, i'm off to the special needs thread!! :eek::eek: Aaarghh, TWICE!
 
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shouldn,t think so, but facial expressions,mannerisms etc must surely be of some value to a jury/judge etc?

I think she was referring to the last comment about a veiled woman serving on a jury. In that instance I can't see that it would impair her judgement of the case.
 
If I had a choice of 12 veiled women on the jury or 12 chavs, I'd pick the veiled women. If I had to choose between veiled women or 12 people who didn't really want to be there because they felt they had better things to be doing I'd pick the 12 veiled women.

Why would anyone get the idea they wont be able to tell the difference from a guilty or innocent person just because their face isn't visible? They can still see and hear perfectly well, which is the same as any jury member.

The question of a person being tried in court wearing a veil is a different matter, facial expressions can be useful to the jury, but facial expression alone doesnt prove guilt, its what is said that matters most, and expression in the voice itself can be as revealing as facial expression.

I may be the only one who can find a solution to the problem rather than saying they shouldn't be allowed, but I found the way the other option was worded to be intentionally the one that should be seen as the right answer.

I am entitled to my opinion, and you dont need to argue your point to try and change my mind, the poll speaks for itself and I know you all disagree with me. No need to argue about it.
 
but facial expression alone doesnt prove guilt, its what is said that matters most, and expression in the voice itself can be as revealing as facial expression.

The point is that facial expressions can help, along with other factors, to build up a total picture and that's why veils should be removed in court. And, as your argument about veils being "important in the muslim faith" seems to have been disproved, there's really no reason for defendants not to remove them.

Still, at least, you've fought your corner, Blazey...funny, isn't it, how all the Nu Labour politicos have very carefully avoided this thread? :rolleyes:
 
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The point is that facial expressions can help, along with other factors, to build up a total picture and that's why veils should be removed in court. And, as your argument about veils being "important in the muslim faith" seems to have been disproved, there's really no reason for defendants not to remove them.

Still, at least, you've fought your corner, Blazey...funny, isn't it, how all the Nu Labour politicos have very carefully avoided this thread? :rolleyes:

Buggered if I can see what a posters political persuasion has to do with any comments posted. Vote Labour myself and posted….maybe I’m the only Labourite to have posted or maybe it was an ill thought out theory
 
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