Bouncer trial jury told to put emotions aside (From Daily Echo)
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Jury retire to consioder verdict on Andrew Lee in John Jones assault case
8:31am Tuesday 23rd June 2009 in Crime By John Hoskins, Court Reporter
JURORS have been told to put aside their emotions when they retire today to consider their verdict in the case of a doorman who is accused of seriously injuring a student at a Southampton nightclub.
Defence barrister Matthew Jewell told Southampton Crown Court that no one would forget the two weeks of evidence and the tragedy of John Jones, who suffered a broken neck and was left paralysed from the neck down.
However, he urged the jury to concentrate entirely on the evidence when they pass judgment on Andrew Lee, 31, of Alcantara Crescent, Southampton, who denies causing grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm to Mr Jones.
Mr Jewell said: “One can only guess the devastation for this young man. It brings with it emotions. That is inevitable. But you must reach your decision without emotion because you have taken an oath to try the case on the evidence you have heard and there is no place in your analysis for emotion.
“The prosecution has to prove Mr Lee committed a crime, not who was to blame, not who was responsible.
This case is about what happened and how he reacted at the time.”
Of Lee’s work, he added: “This is not Butlins. This is not Hi Di Hi. It’s a job that requires a variety of different skills. I am not here to approve of what he has done. I am not here to ask you to like him.
“Mr Lee was confronted by a difficult situation. He may have read it correctly or misread it, but he has received no training or guidance from his statutory body. He did no more than he thought he had to do to resolve the situation.”
The prosecution alleges that in putting the Southampton Solent University student in a full nelson hold to eject him from KAOS, Lee acted unreasonably.
Judge Derwin Hope yesterday began his summing up in the case, which he was due to complete this morning before sending out the jury to reach its verdict.
Proceeding.
