A New Zealand Rape Victim ‘Could Have Closed Her Legs’ Told a Lawyer to Jury During Court Hearing
A New Zealand girl was raped by a bouncer George Jason Pule in an alleyway. Convict's defence lawyer has instigated outrage over his argument labelled "disgusting." In defence, the lawyer told a court that the rape victim "could have closed her legs" if she didn't want sex.
George who is 34 raped a 20 year old unnamed girl in the wee hours on Oct. 22, 2011 and was found guilty on Nov. 13, 2013. Keith Jefferies the lawyer to the convict George Jason Pule was addressing the jury in Wellington District Court when he gave this statement that has evoked widespread criticism and outrage.
It is reported that the girl was drunk when the guilty approached her and promised her to help her to get into the club, The Establishment Bar to see her friends before he took her to rape her in the alley.
George Jason Pule's lawyer Keith Jefferies told the jury that the woman had filed a fake complaint to the police after six days of the crime because she repented the sex. He also reported that no struggles or threats were made to the rape victim. Also there was no violence committed against the victim reported the lawyer.
"All she would have had to do was to close her legs... it's as simple as that," said the lawyer Keith Jefferies as his defending argument.
"Why didn't she do that? The reason she didn't do that was because the sex was consensual, as easy as that," Keith Jefferies continued the argument.
Natalie Gousmett manager of Wellington Rape Crisis condemned the comments of the defence lawyer as "disgusting."
"It's disgusting, but also unnecessary, to use that kind of victim-blaming rhetoric," said Natalie Gousmett.
Clearing the air, Keith Jefferies claimed that his comments were just a part of the defence arguments and they do not represent personal views.
Prosecutor Geraldine Kelly gave a different picture of the case.
She told the jury that the rape victim had clearly said "no" when George Jason tried to force himself on her.
"No, she didn't fight back, she didn't scream her head off, she didn't go running into the street screaming 'Rape!' But this isn't an American TV show. This is real life," said Geraldine Kelly.
The comments come in the wake of Road Busters rape scandal, in which a group of young men from New Zealand boasted on the Internet by having sex with young drunken girls who were as young as 13.