Posted by Snr.Amaral on Facebook 21/7/14

Has there been any further news about Rocky's possible actions on Facebook?

DingDong,  let round 1 commence.

I think he should sue the papers first and get as much money in the bank as possible from out of court settlements.  I believe they would cave and pay up.

Let's pray he will see it through.

Bishop Brennan wrote:
And here is a full human translation of GA's statement:

http://pjga.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-message-from-goncalo-amaral_21.html

Dear friends,

[SNIPPED]

However, my trust in Portuguese justice remains steadfast.

[REST SNIPPED]

I feel I must record my profound disagreement with Dr Goncalo Amaral's 'trust' and faith in Portuguese justice, which I think is thoroughly misplaced.

Here are my reasons.

First and foremost, no libel trial should ever span a period as long as 5 years and 1 month and still counting, as this one has. Such an extreme length of trial serves the interests of neither party, whoever they may be. Both the claimant (McCanns in this case) and the defendant (Amaral) have faced great uncertainty over the outcome, and of course great expense. No doubt the lawyers on both sides have been 'creaming it', with thousands of euros pouring into their pockets at regular intervals over the past 5 years. It has been well said that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. That is very much the case with this unique libel trial.

It's unique mainly because of its length. I still maintain that it is the longest libel trial in world history, unless someone can show otherwise. When I raised this issue several weeks ago, a poster said that the 'McLibel Trial', where McDonalds sued two students handing out leaflets critical of the contents of their beef burgers, lasted longer. True, it lasted for I think 200 or more days of trial, but these were spread over a much shorter period of time than the 5 years and 1 month of McCanns v Amaral.

In this particular case, the McCanns appear to have practically limitless funds to be able to sue who they like, and for as long as it takes. Amaral does not have comparable resources, indeed the financial imbalance between the parties is wholly disproportionate. 

Not only do I think that Amaral's trust in his native justice system is misplaced, I suggest that the way the Portuguese justice system has handled this case will prove to have been an indelible stain on Portuguese justice.

Quite apart from the unconscionable delay in the case, let us also remember that:

* In September 2009, Amaral first learnt that his book had been banned at an ex parte hearing (one where only the claimant was present) from the owner of a restaurant where he was having a noonday coffee. He covered this in Chapter 6 of 'The English Gag', a translation of which I have provided to this forum   

* That hearing froze his assets, a wholly oppressive decision which remains in force to this day

* In January/February 2010, the Court continued the book ban and the sequestration of his assets - a decision later found to be wrong by the Portuguese Appeal Court

* In March 2011 the Supreme Court in Portugal confirmed the Appeal Court's decision and ordered the full libel trial to proceed as quickly as possible. Three years and four months later, it is still continuing and the outcome might not be known until 2015.

We then need to look at how other branches of the Portuguese judicial system have treated Amaral:

1. The convicted murderess-of-her-own-child Leonor Cipriano, who lied comprehensively at her trial, was allowed to bring a criminal case of alleged torture against Amaral and four other detectives

2. A lawyer who serially lied about his involvement in the Madeleine McCann case, Marcos Aragao Correia, and who was paid by the McCanns via Metodo 3, was allowed to take over the prosecution (on 8 April 2008). The same man masterminded the searches for Madeleine's bones in January and March 2008 at the Arade Dam        

3. The trial, just like the McCanns v Amaral libel trial, was subject to multiple delays and adjournments. After 2 years of preparations for trial, the trial opened on 21 October 2008 and was spread over several disconnected days of trial, not reaching a verdict until May 2009 

4. Leonor Cipriano lied comprehensively again in this trial, just as she did in her trial for murder

5. The trial judges and jury arguably reached a perverse verdict in the case that Goncalo Amaral had made a false report

6. Despite Marcos Aragao Correia failing to prove that there had been any torture, all the detectives being acquitted on that charge, he exulted: 'The target was hit" when the verdict against Amaral was announced, and

7. Amaral's appeals against conviction and sentence were rejected.

In addition, Amaral was clearly libelled by Marcos Aragao Correia on multiple occasions, yet the Portuguese courts dismissed Amaral's claim against him.

Finally, I am not as sure as some on here about the eventual outcome of this libel trial.

Whoever loses may well appeal to the Portuguese Appeal Court.

If so, that would simply perpetuate the appalling injustice of having to wait over 5 years for a verdict, and endure all the resultant expense.

It appears that Goncalo Amaral based his conclusion - that Madeleine may have died in an accident in her parents' apartment - on a combination of the evidence in the police files and his own observations.

That being so, there should have been a full libel trial within months of the McCanns' application in June 2009, and a firm verdict entered that his book may have been controversial, but was not libellous.

The prolonged inability of the Portuguese justice system to deliver a verdict in this case for over 5 years is an utter disgrace.

There`s a reason why people say `I`m placing my trust in you`.

It promotes better behaviour - supposedly.  Just as one always praises good behaviour in a child and says "that`s not like you" when they behave badly.  Always expect the best behaviour.  If you always expect bad behaviour in a child, the child will always behave badly.

Maybe why some of us still trust SY.  Although we have major doubts, we have to expect the best in order that they will produce the best. 

I doubt whether GA really trusts Portuguese Justice (after being treated so badly in the past) but he has to let them think they are trusted in order that they will behave well - its appealling to their better nature.

Thank you once again Tony for a very good post which sets out the situation very clearly for everyone.   I had completely forgotten about the target has been hit remark.

I also  believe the way Rocky A. has been treated is disgraceful.  

Rocky has said that he has faith in the Port. justice system.   He has said this for a reason imo, but I have to agree with your post - from an outside point of view  it is very hard to believe that he has been treated properly, respectfully or fairly these last 7 years.

Enough is enough and this should be sorted without any further delay once the court resumes in September.

Once again Tony I can't fault the logic in your arguments. I just think CR are the most deviously skilled lawyers in their field and have tied the Portuguese legal system in knots all these years.

Also, I'm sure I read a quote from Amaral saying that this trial isn't a libel trial technically, but that is neither here nor there really...

I just genuinely can't see that the Portuguese and UK governments would drag a cover-up out publicly and for seven years against one man. Is there another such example?

Here is a quote from The Shawshank Redemption to cheer you up!

Andy Dufresne wrote:Remember, Red Tony, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies