You’re language policing a stalking victim who’s been dealing with it for 10 years, and who just finally got a modicum of justice. Not the time or place for your 2 cents worth.

_Why_ are the penalties so damn short for this crime? Does the legal system think these guys will repent in prison or something?

Hurd was somehow allowed to serve as his own legal council, giving him the opportunity to personally grill the object of his obsession

Worst defense ever?

It’s on my list now! I trust the Jez book club.

Seriously ! I was thinking the same thing. You’d think the fact that he has been convicted a few (I think) times would be enough to get her out of having to answer his vengeful, pathetic, and stupid-ass questions face to face. Can't they do a remote questioning like they do for children? Where the victim is in another…

Highly recommend.

Just wanted to concur that that book is fucking fantastic. Everyone should read it.

Like I said to the other person who said this:

While you are right, the problem is this

You should. It’s known for romantic and stalking relationships but it’s also about workplace violence and roommates as well as how to assess strangers’ intentions. When I interview people for jobs, I got my list of questions right out of the book.

Most people have no idea what it’s like or what they’re dealing with when it comes to stalkers until it's too late to do anything about it. Trying to “let them down easy” is a huge mistake most first-time stalking victims make. Stalkers are unstable, it doesn't matter how you approach them.

Yup.

Absolutely. I’m not saying that the accused shouldn’t be able to face their accuser, but they shouldn’t be the ones personally interrogating them in front of a jury and courtroom filled with people. That is psychological warfare. It’s so unbelievably fucky and sick.

This is happening because every criminal defendant has a right to confront their accuser (ie cross-examine) and a right to represent themselves. Two very important rights that, unfortunately, are creating a bad situation here.

That’s really what it seems like. I never got to press charges against those who hurt me because it wasn’t taken seriously. Had I been able to and the person acted as their own attorney, I likely would have dropped them or not testified because I wouldn’t have been able to deal with facing them like that in court.…

I don’t even have anything funny to say. This is happening because the law does not care about women, their safety or their comfort.

I don't know about the rest of us. This is scary.

This is happening to a rich, famous, successful woman. It has been happening to her for years and she is still fighting it in court.