Diver convicted of wife's drowning 10 years on | World news | guardian.co.uk
This was in today's press.
This was in today's press.
Diver convicted in wife's drowning
- Thread starter Seanpaul
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AfterDark
Contributor
I know Dave very well, the jury is wrong. In the 20+ years I've known him I've never heard him talk of or do violence to anyone not once. I've seen him angry, I've heard him curse but never threaten or hit. there was not one piece of evidence against him no marks on her no autopsy done. I'm still trying to digest it.
What a tragedy. Sorry to hear that your friend was convicted AfterDark; from what was written in this article, there wasn't much evidence against him.
AfterDark
Contributor
Thanks DCBC, I'm hoping it'll be reversed on appeal. What's driving this is understandably devastate parents with a lot of grief and a lot of money. The wife's money goes to the motivation in their minds has well as a relationship he had with another woman. For the man I know that wouldn't be enough to kill in cold blood. I was fairly hot tempered back when we dove together and Dave talked me down on more than a few occasions. His biggest problem is he's broke. Thanks again.
Testimony from "experts" that weren't on the dive makes it 100% circumstantial.
I could never convict someone of murder based on purely circumstantial evidence.
I could never convict someone of murder based on purely circumstantial evidence.
anyone else notice they charged him AFTER the family one a lawsuit against him in the states?
Scott L
Contributor
Yeah, I had a bad feeling about that prosecution.. I have not read all the facts but the burden of proof should be with prosecution not the defense. 30 years in an un-airconditioned jailhouse on the equator? Unthinkable!
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Saw that in the online news yesterday. There are several threads on SB about it. If you search Swain, most of the threads will be about him.
There is certainly not much info in that news summary. There is a claim of a "defence lawyers argued that a botched autopsy report could not rule out a heart attack or other natural causes." I have long been concerned about such involving scuba deaths in foreign countries, mostly cynical about possible cover ups aimed at protecting tourist business. I don't suppose it's feasible but I'd really like to see treaties and systems for shipping American bodies back to the US quickly for exams.
There is certainly not much info in that news summary. There is a claim of a "defence lawyers argued that a botched autopsy report could not rule out a heart attack or other natural causes." I have long been concerned about such involving scuba deaths in foreign countries, mostly cynical about possible cover ups aimed at protecting tourist business. I don't suppose it's feasible but I'd really like to see treaties and systems for shipping American bodies back to the US quickly for exams.
Nylorac
Contributor
While I understand your comments and concerns maybe we need to ask why the family won in the states? That is often how it happens - civil suits are somewhat easier to prove since no one is going to jail (I'm no lawyer but I believe the burden of proof is simpler in a civil suit - what would a reasonable person have done vs. prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what they did, i.e., J.O. Simpson). A jury of peers decides a civil case based on the facts presented so please don't dismiss it as nothing.
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