DSKgate follow-up

[chani]

Aside from the controversy between French media and American/British media, there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding between French public opinion and American public opinion concerning the DSKgate.

I found this article that tries to explain some of the reactions to what we have seen on screen. Jeffrey Fagan's take on the differences between the two systems is worth reading, giving that he is an American law professor who is also used to French system.

Comments

[gillo]

I read your longer post in French but don't quite have the confidence to reply in your language.

I am shocked by the cavalier way Americans treat suspects and defendants on TV - anyone, not just DSK, should have the right to arrive in court looking as he or she normally would. To handcuff - behind the back too - someone not yet convicted of anything seems to me wrong. I have always found their habit of bringing the accused to court in those demeaning brightly-coloured pyjamas disgusting too - a jury is being subtly influence from the moment they see the individual. I just don't understand why bail was not granted in this case - would someone now so well-known really be able to skip bail?

I have avoided watching too much of the media stuff to be honest; I doubt if you have the choice if you actually want to see "Actualités" at all. I have no idea whether he is likely to be guilty or not, but the timing seems a little convenient for some of his enemies.

[chani]

I think they make a point of doing the "prep' walk" when it comes to celebrities or powerful people, but yes the presumption of innocence doesn't seem to really exist over there.

At the same time, because the system is based on private investigators, wealthy people who can afford wealthy lawyers (like DSK) , can defend themselves better afterwards than poor people which is equally shocking for us over here.

Between you and me, I wouldn't be that surprised if DSK were guilty, but yes the whole thing is very convenient, although I'm sure that if Sarkozy was behing a setup he would have done it later, after the PS primaries.