The aftermath of the verdict *MERGED*

[Thinking]

IMO the appeal will go nowhere. It's not even worth talking about. The fact that GBC has been found guilty of murder and is now in jail for at least the next 15 years is all that matters. It won't bring Allison back but justice has been served for her and her family.

I completely agree with you Makara. I refuse to get worked up about the appeal - it is BS and is being done as a matter of course, but Justice Byrne is the best of the best and I will eat my proverbial hat if any appeal judges found that he erred in giving directions to the jury. With respect to the appeal point about the scratch evidence and experts, I see that a similar ground was relied on in Sica's appeal in relation to expert evidence, and they were sent packing.

I remain thrilled that GBC has been found guilty and is where he belongs and will be there for a very long time

 

[DrWatson]

Just wondering if this has been mentioned before as it is a little close to home at the moment. Lariam ,Mefloquine or any other anti malaria drugs, their contraindications and the possible use of it to surreptitiously destabilize someones mental health? Doc?

Hi Digitup

While theoretically possible, it would be difficult. And fairly pointless.

First, mefloquine has been withdrawn from sale, so availability is either difficult or impossible. Similar drugs from the same group don't have anywhere near the same side-effect profile. (EDIT: Correction - I gather that generic brands can still be obtained with mefloquine in them here in Australia, but not "Lariam")

Second, even if possible, the taste is very bitter, when added to something else (the "quine" part of the name is because it is related to quinine).

Third, any side effects would be unpredictable. Even given that Allison supposedly had a depressive reaction to the drug many, many years ago, there is absolutely no guarantee that she would get any reaction at all now, or if she did, that it would manifest as depression. And even if it did, there is no way to cause her to commit suicide.

So overall, while the scenario is vaguely possible, and could make a nice story line in a novel, I don't think it's a real-world possibility.

But I can't exclude it 100%..... (tongue in cheek)

 

[Onlyone]

I completely agree with you Makara. I refuse to get worked up about the appeal - it is BS and is being done as a matter of course, but Justice Byrne is the best of the best and I will eat my proverbial hat if any appeal judges found that he erred in giving directions to the jury. With respect to the appeal point about the scratch evidence and experts, I see that a similar ground was relied on in Sica's appeal in relation to expert evidence, and they were sent packing.
I remain thrilled that GBC has been found guilty and is where he belongs and will be there for a very long time

Thanks for that, you made me feel much less anxious about it.

 

[Maigret]

Thanks for that, you made me feel much less anxious about it.

Agree totally - going through the motions is all

 

[MsAnais]

hmm....not at all sure. My ex husband had a child with his girlfriend in his teen years, and the child was adopted. He contacted us at 21 years of age. OMG. He was a clone of my ex. All the mannerisms were exactly the same, in the same industry/career - almost the same job, most of the same interests and even though he was given a different name, his adoptive parents gave him the name of my ex. He even had the same inflections in his voice. It was actually rather scary. Until meeting him I would have thought nurture had a far bigger impact, but now i think they probably have equal impact.

Thanks for sharing that experience :seeya:

And absolutely nature has a huge role in our looks, likes, preferences and basic personality traits - I have two children who are completely different personalities and so similar to their grandparents that it's freaky! I was referring more to how we behave in the world toward others, our emotional stability and how we are in relationship with our partner.

For someone to behave as GBC has to Allison, I believe firmly he has witnessed a repeated 'putting down' of women and been brought up with an unhealthy sense of entitlement. I just don't believe that he was born as a little baby with these attitudes. He would have come in with his basic personality, but you don't end up as an adult who thinks it's a viable option to simply take your wife's life if something hasn't been seriously amiss at home when you were growing up. JMO.

 

[Aliwonders]

Apologies for quoting myself but does anybody know if this is normal procedure - for both days following a conviction the prisoner has been allowed family to visit.

Is this normal procedure ? And if not why are the BC family an exception ?

There would be allowances for paperwork that needed signing etc I would imagine and since the appeal has been done so quickly I would say they had to get him to sign or approve papers which they did carry in a large envelope according to one report I read.

 

[Fuskier]

You know, one of the biggest issues with the training of psychologists IMO is that they aren't required to undergo their own therapy. In the more 'alternative' therapeutic modalities, such as Gestalt or Jungian, to qualify as a therapist you have to have done a substantial amount of hours of your own therapy.

It's SO important - otherwise you play out your issues all over the place, unconsciously. And then someone like this young woman, crosses the boundary BIG TIME!!! She was obviously in the WRONG job!!!

Sadly, alot of TV shows make forensic psych work look glamourous and when I was studying Clinical Psychology, I was amazed how many really young women, with very little life experience, were doing Forensic Psych. I was worried for them. She reminds me of those women.

You can't truly help anyone if you haven't sorted some of your own stuff out IMO.

And yep, they'd be rich pickings for slimy Gerry :facepalm:

Appreciate this post Isisrising. There is so much in your post which is so well said IMO. That aside, yes I agree its possible that GBC may cross paths with a young, female forensic psych, with academic qualifications (little or no training in therapy) who could be vulnerable to the 'manipulations' of
this convicted murderer. Its an unequal power/knowledge situation between prisoner and psych IMO: generally, prisoners have had a lifetime of deep 'in situ' learning/reinforcement of pathology within the family/social environment, yet the young, female psychs only have their 6 years of academic training, a good heart and wide-eyes to change the world to a better place. They are emotionally unprepared and vulnerable to the hardened manipulative ways of many convicted criminals. The system fails them too - without the provision of strong supervision in practice, My opinion only.

 

[MsAnais]

Appreciate this post Isisrising. There is so much in your post which is so well said IMO. That aside, yes I agree its possible that GBC may cross paths with a young, female forensic psych, with academic qualifications (little or no training in therapy) who could be vulnerable to the 'manipulations' of
this convicted murderer. Its an unequal power/knowledge situation between prisoner and psych IMO: generally, prisoners have had a lifetime of deep 'in situ' learning/reinforcement within the family/social environment, yet the young, female psychs only have their 6 years of academic training, a good heart and wide-eyes to change the world to a better place. They are emotionally unprepared and vulnerable to the hardened manipulative ways of many convicted criminals. The system fails them too - without the provision of strong supervision in practice, My opinion only.

Great points, Fuskier. I completely agree. :seeya:

 

[MadDoc]

I've even had patients, who have come to us while we are resuscitating another patient ( yep walked into the resus bay ) to complain about not being seen yet......when explained that we are trying to save someones life........they still don't get it!

Yep...I remember that happening in hospital intern days too.

They didn't have a hyphenated surname beginning with B and C, did they?

 

[MadDoc]

You know, one of the biggest issues with the training of psychologists IMO is that they aren't required to undergo their own therapy. In the more 'alternative' therapeutic modalities, such as Gestalt or Jungian, to qualify as a therapist you have to have done a substantial amount of hours of your own therapy.

It's SO important - otherwise you play out your issues all over the place, unconsciously. And then someone like this young woman, crosses the boundary BIG TIME!!! She was obviously in the WRONG job!!!

Sadly, alot of TV shows make forensic psych work look glamourous and when I was studying Clinical Psychology, I was amazed how many really young women, with very little life experience, were doing Forensic Psych. I was worried for them. She reminds me of those women.

You can't truly help anyone if you haven't sorted some of your own stuff out IMO.

And yep, they'd be rich pickings for slimy Gerry :facepalm:

I bet he's turning on the charm right now for the nice psychologist who is doing his assessment on his entry to the prison.

 

[MsAnais]

I bet he's turning on the charm right now for the nice psychologist who is doing his assessment on his entry to the prison.

I hope he gets a really old man!! A jaded one, who's seen it all before!! :lol:

 

[BJsleuth]

An interesting book I have on Martin Bryant regarding "nature vs nurture".

http://m.smh.com.au/national/a-dang...ryant-into-a-mass-murderer-20090427-ajk4.html

Hi Snails, I have read that a few times before. The whole thing is so sad. I wonder if he was born these days, if things would have turned out differently. If he'd been correctly diagnosed as a toddler and had appropriate early intervention, it could have changed his path perhaps. It sounded to me like he had some sensory perception disorder (not wanting cuddles and screaming like he was hurt when caught in games of chasey) OT might have helped and obviously he needed speech therapy. Those things were unheard of back when he was growing up though.

 

[Wolfinator]

On the upside, his appeal is a further demonstration of complete lack of remorse.

Good luck with that parole application.

 

[toe]

I bet he's turning on the charm right now for the nice psychologist who is doing his assessment on his entry to the prison.

He's going to be very depressed not having his business card to hand over :jail:

 

[they'll get you]

why is the work of White Ribbon important?

Australia is not immune.

Violence against women is a serious problem in Australia where:

Over 12 months, on average, one woman is killed every week as a result of intimate partner violence.
A woman is most likely to be killed by her male partner in her home.
Domestic and family violence is the principle cause of homelessness for women and their children.
Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and ill-health in Australian women aged 15-44.
One in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by someone known to them.
One in four children are exposed to domestic violence, which is a recognised form of child abuse.
The cost of violence against women to the Australian economy is estimated to rise to $15.6 billion per annum.
One in five women experience harassment within the workplace.
One in five women over 18 has been stalked during her lifetime.




http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/white-ribbon-importance

 

[possumheart]

That's probably a little unfair. I don't think Gabbinbar State School is or was the breeding ground for narcissistic wife murderers. Your quote comes from page 4 of REPORT OF THE REVIEW OF GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION IN QUEENSLAND STATE SCHOOLS TOWARDS 2010 and was discussing a program the school initiated for gifted children in 1975, about the year GBC would have started there. I had issues with the school many years later because their enrolment policy of taking some 'difficult' children combined with fairly informal combined classes became a bit chaotic. We moved on but my children are, in my opinion, well balanced adult citizens.
GBC also went through Toowoomba Grammar School and the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education which became the University of Southern Queensland.

Who knows how a child grows into a murderer but its probably not because of their parents choice of primary school.

Zorrow, I was there in 1976 and it was a mix of gifted children and children with behavioural problems, and quite controversial. Three blocks, one with grades 1, 2 and 3 merged, one with grades 4 and 5 mixed, and one with grades 6 and 7 mixed. And there was a Library (where I hid). There was almost no supervision, children were free to roam the grounds. I was beaten by one boy with a blackboard ruler (headmaster excused that because boy was epileptic) - my point is that the emphasis was on each child being 'special' and the kids were noticeably different to others when they reached high school. Gerard was the only child from his family to attend that school, so my question is why did he need a different style of schooling - was he more likely to flourish in an undisciplined and unorthodox environment as a small boy? He lived in close proximity to the Prep, where his siblings went to school, so it was actually an inconvenience to transport him to Gabbinbar.

Many good people have come out of that school, they were not damaged.

I was not implying that the school gave him behavioural problems, I was suggesting that possibly:
1) he was sent to that school because of adjustment or behavioural problems (which may have stemmed from migration) and/or
2) he emerged from a primary school that nurtured high self esteem and specialness as it's absolute priority, coupled with parents that nurtured the same.

It is undeniable that Gerard, to this day, has a healthy perception of his own 'specialness'.

 

[they'll get you]

It would be interesting to know if C-21 has been affected by their name being associated with a crime on an international scale.
I'm sure C-21 would like to see this quickly swept under the carpet but with this latest appeal it won't be any time soon.

 

[volunteer]

I have no doubt that if the appeal to the Court of Appeal here is not successful, he will apply to the High Court. What do others think?

All on the public purse of course!

 

[Total]

I have no doubt that if the appeal to the Court of Appeal here is not successful, he will apply to the High Court. What do others think?

All on the public purse of course!

No Volunteer
The good thing IMO is that if he appeals to the High Court they will have to find their own funds as such an appeal is not funded by the taxpayers through legal aid. Only his appeal to the Court of Appeal will be funded by the taxpayers. Unless of course he finds a lawyer willing to act pro bono (for free) who is seeking some notoriety themselves.

 

[Greg]

Been looking around this site and there is a lot of passionate people who are there to support Allison and her family.

I half expected a not-guilty verdict.

I thought the depression related suicide was a somewhat plausible narrative.

That night Allison had heard that the affair that she thought was over was in fact still ongoing. And she would be encountering the mistress at a real estate convention the next morning. This would have been soul-destroying for anyone especially a woman who had been lied to previously.

Alison's body toxicology report showed anti-depressants at 12 times the level of normal anti-depressant levels. These results can be unreliable though due to decomposition.

Alison was found in her walking clothes and shoes and in a location further on from her normal walking route. I find this a detail that supports the notion that she left the house voluntarily, however nothing would of stopped Gerard changing her clothes after death - but there was no forensic evidence to suggest that.

The prosecution suggested that Allison was murdered on the property, but no blood or evidence of a murder was found. Yet there was blood in the vehicle.

Gerard and the vehicle could not be placed at where the body was dumped. Gerard could not be placed at the scene of the murder. There were no forensic evidence on clothing or shoes. No footprints, no tyre tracks have ever been identified.

In the end Gerard murdered his wife but I was not as convinced there would be a conviction as many others were expecting.

I thought the depression related suicide was a somewhat plausible narrative. How did she suicide by walking 15klms and then lying down under a bridge???? i don't find that plausible.

Alison's body toxicology report showed anti-depressants at 12 times the level of normal anti-depressant levels. These results can be unreliable though due to decomposition. Not enough to indicate fatal overdose

Alison was found in her walking clothes and shoes and in a location further on from her normal walking route. I find this a detail that supports the notion that she left the house voluntarily it supports the notion that she was dressed in clothes and shoes nothing more

The prosecution suggested that Allison was murdered on the property, but no blood or evidence of a murder was found. Yet there was blood in the vehicle. Leaves in the hair link the murder to the property

Gerard could not be placed at the scene of the murder the murder was linked to the property by way of the leaves, Gerard admits to being at the property aka the scene of the murder

You ignore the scratches, the finances, the mistresses and so on and so on...

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