Friday 15 May 2009

No Secret

I am of course delighted at the decision to drop the loathsome proposals for secret Coroner's Inquests. We now need to rid ourselves of convictions on anonymous evidence alone, of both pre-trial convictions and pre-trial acquittals by the Crown Prosecution Service, of the secrecy of the family courts (although that is improving), and of the anonymity of adult accusers in rape cases. Just for a start.

Speaking of Coroner's Inquests, where is the one into the death of Dr David Kelly? Why has it not already happened? I am told that Dr Kelly's family "accepted the finding of the Hutton inquiry" as to the cause of his death. Well, I suppose someone had to. But anyway, so what? Contrary to what is often assumed, a Coroner's Inquest is not for the benefit of the deceased's family. Technically, they (as such, rather than as the public) don't even have to be informed that it is being held. From time to time, they aren't. Bad practice, perhaps. But perfectly within both the letter and the spirit of the law.

No comments:

Post a Comment