Diver Indicted in 2003 GBR mishap

[CoralSeaMan]

I assume this renewed discussion is based on the information received from two sources; television (Dateline) and unofficial sources such as this board.

I just do not have enough confidence in these sources to be able to make serious judgements about guilt, innocence or liability. I am still trying to figure out what happened to the WMDs the media told me about that the government said were in Iraq.

In any event, what does this tragedy tell us about safer diving?

 

[Hetland]

In any event, what does this tragedy tell us about safer diving?

Always carry a knife in case someone trys to shut off your tank valve

 

[almitywife]

dont go diving with someone that just up'd your insurance policy???

 

[Diver Dennis]

I assume this renewed discussion is based on the information received from two sources; television (Dateline) and unofficial sources such as this board.

I just do not have enough confidence in these sources to be able to make serious judgements about guilt, innocence or liability. I am still trying to figure out what happened to the WMDs the media told me about that the government said were in Iraq.

In any event, what does this tragedy tell us about safer diving?

Actually, they interviewed the police who were investigating and some of the information like the conflicting statements came from them. I doubt the police are lying on camera bout their findings, so yes there are official statements out there.

 

[mike_s]

Actually, they interviewed the police who were investigating and some of the information like the conflicting statements came from them. I doubt the police are lying on camera bout their findings, so yes there are official statements out there.

Police are known to lie also. both in interviews and under oath in court.


not saying that is the case here, but just that it happens.

 

[almitywife]

Police are known to lie also......

heeheheeh - especially qld cops! ever heard of the Fitzgerald Inquiry!

our victorian cops are better -they shoot to kill first then ask questions

the sydney cops just go to counselling alot to discuss their feelings

not that i think this is the case here also

 

[Sas]

Can anyone give a comparison of the US and Australian legal systems and what is required to take this to trial there and how that is run?

From what I remember (did law subjects over three years ago so may be wrong) the US and AU criminal legal systems are very similar in the rules of evidence. Here you are innocent until proven guilty and a guilty verdict is only given (in theory) when the guilt is beyond reasonable doubt. Our civil system is a fair bit stricter though than the US and much harder to sue someone for personal injury (though still too easy in my opinion sometimes).

In my very uneducated opinion, there would be enough evidence for a trial but perhaps not for a conviction. Depends on the jury really. However, I will confirm with a lawyer friend on msn later as I am curious too.

 

[John_B]

She was also like so many other females you see who got certified because their boyfriends or husbands wanted them to. She did what he wanted her to do out of love and lost her life for it.

I didn't see this, I don't watch these sorts of shows. Maybe I'm missing the context of this in someway, but... The females I dive with got certified and dive because they wanted to, not for any other reason.

Still,due to our legal process, he is innocent until proven guilty.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. There is a difference.

 

[pamawi]

I think he's guilty. When I first heard about this story, I gave him the benefit of the doubt because I could see a Rescue diver not thinking clearly or remembering everything that happened in a real emergency, but after seeing so many contradictions in his story and his strange behavior, I really think he did it. I assume the insurance he thought he was going to get would be the motive. I don't guess she was wearing a dive computer. How did he change the batteries on the surface without them getting wet. I think the resurfacing thing had to be a stall tactic to get away from the rest of the divers so he could murder her. I think the bear hug turning off her air until she drowned and then turning it back on sounds reasonable. Did the bear hug witness just come forward recently. I wonder why?

I had the sensation of being very negatively bouyant recently because my inflator hose/alt air source was not screwed back on correctly after I removed it for service. This caused my bc to leak air slowly. I kept having to add puffs of air to stay off the bottom. Thankfully I was in a shallow spring and swam up the incline to the exit point. If she was over-weighted like many new divers are, and perhaps had an issue like I had, she could have been very negative. She also could have confused the inflate button with the release button and continued to dump air. I just can't imagine she wouldn't have tried to swim/kick for the surface. The haunting picture with her arms outstretched made me think she was probably already dead as she sank deeper. If she drowned, would that have made her body more negatively bouyant initially?

 

[Sas]

Not to put too fine a point on this, but he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. There is a difference.

Semantics really. And yes, I think you've put too fine a point on it.

But I agree with your first point. I have not met any females I felt were diving just because their partners were. They have all been buddied with either females or yes, with their husbands but have seemed pretty experienced and comfortable in the water. Is it really a common occurrence for *females* to get certified for their partners or just some people (regardless of gender) getting certified to please their partners?

I have been trying to get my partner to go for a dive actually - though some where in the tropics where it is warmer and where you can find easy dives on a Discover Scuba course or similar - just to try it out. He says fish are boring so that is the main reason he won't go, not nerves like this woman - hoping to change his mind once he sees what it is like and he sent me an article on this story a few minutes ago and said 'is this what you have in mind??!' Guess I can't get him in the water now

Anyway, the whole story sounds really suss and I lean towards either a. this guy is guilty or b. he isn't but he doesn't function like 99% of the population. Either way, it really sucks for the family, especially having dragged on for so many years.