Blogcritics Comments on Law: Bryant accuser's mental health history sought

Comment by Steve Rhodes on Law: Bryant accuser's mental health history sought

Fri, 19 Sep 2003 23:09:04 EDT

He will be able to at trial. ]]>

Comment by Al Barger on Law: Bryant accuser's mental health history sought

Fri, 19 Sep 2003 18:58:31 EDT

She has accused Mr. Bryant of an ugly, vicious crime, for which he faces the possibility of losing his career, and pretty much everything he has worked for in life. If you're going to do that, then you have to expect to be put up for examination yourself. I don't know about the specifics of the preliminary hearings here, but absolutely he has a constitutional right to face his accuser at some point in this process. Period. It may be tough or embarassing for her, but HE is the one facing a prison sentence. ]]>

Comment by Phillip Winn on Law: Bryant accuser's mental health history sought

Fri, 19 Sep 2003 17:41:32 EDT

I feel very sorry for the accuser. Her pain is about to get even more intense, and her life will be exposed for all to see and judge. If her story is true, she doesn't deserve this at all. Of course, if her story is not true, then I feel even more sorry for the accused, whose life has already been exposed for all to see and judge, and whose reputation will never quite be clear of the stain of the accusation. The defense needs access to anything truly relevant, and it sounds like these records might be helpful in determing the truth of the case, but I hope in one sense that they never become public, though I'm generally opposed to secrecy in courtrooms. Rape and false accusations of rape are both ugly, ugly things. The fact that I'm generally inclined to believe the woman in rape cases makes me especially sad, but I don't really know any of the facts of the case, so I have sympathy for both of them. ]]>