Five saints called in Lovett case

[kosifantutti23]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/f ... 11u1d.html

The five players, who include Jason Gram, Sam Fisher and Adam Schneider, had been with Lovett before the alleged attack took place at Gram's home in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

[Moccha]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/f ... 11u1d.html

The five players, who include Jason Gram, Sam Fisher and Adam Schneider, had been with Lovett before the alleged attack took place at Gram's home in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

Another distraction

[VietNam_Saint]

Another ??? or the same thing that's been distracting for weeks ?

[Beej]

Really shouldn't underestimate the toll this whole affair has taken on Gram which could explain the year he's having.

[Thinline]

Quick and painless process, relatively. They're not the one's on trial. Minor distraction. Don't worry about it.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

On the contrary, the players seem to thrive on distractions. Galvanises them or something.

It's probably no coincidence that during our winless stretch recently there were no scandals.

[ChicagoSaint]

Quick and painless process, relatively. They're not the one's on trial. Minor distraction. Don't worry about it.

[Thinline]

Really shouldn't underestimate the toll this whole affair has taken on Gram which could explain the year he's having.

How did it tear his hip flexor or whatever it was he tore?

Seriously, though, I think people overstate the importance of 'scandals'. They're footballers surrounded by other footballers. Hardly an environment renowned for overwrought introspection...

[ChicagoSaint]

mad dogs and englishmen

[saintbrat]

In light of the situation I have copied the whole statement
http://www.saints.com.au/season2010/new ... fault.aspx

St Kilda Media Statement
10:59 AM Tue 10 August, 2010

St Kilda Football Club confirms that five St Kilda players and one Club official have been notified that they are required to give evidence at the Andrew Lovett committal hearing.

The committal hearing will commence today, Tuesday 10 August and conclude on Friday 13 August.

It is important to note that the St Kilda players and official who have been called are civilian witnesses, and are not giving evidence for or against the accused or alleged victim.

From the outset of the investigation, the St Kilda Football Club and its players have fully cooperated with Victoria Police. Any appearance of players or officials in court this week to give evidence is a normal part of the legal process.

While the Club understands there may be a level of general interest in this issue, given it is a criminal matter that is before the courts, the Club and its players are legally not able to make any further comment.

[Con Gorozidis]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/f ... 11u1d.html

The five players, who include Jason Gram, Sam Fisher and Adam Schneider, had been with Lovett before the alleged attack took place at Gram's home in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

safe to assume they have been summoned by the prosecution and not the defence.

[saintbrat]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

[Thinline]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/f ... 11u1d.html

The five players, who include Jason Gram, Sam Fisher and Adam Schneider, had been with Lovett before the alleged attack took place at Gram's home in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

safe to assume they have been summoned by the prosecution and not the defence.

As I understand it, the prosecution calls anybody it thinks may help fill out the pieces of the story required to take the matter past this preliminary stage and into the next.

It's fairly safe to say - from what I've read - that our guys were not eyewitnesses to anything, so they'll be asked to report on what allegedly happened afterwards.

From there it'll be a case of determining whether everything/anything they say in addition to anything said by anyone else amounts to a prosecution case that is a fair chance of succeeding at the next level of the process ie a trial.

[Con Gorozidis]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

ok. yes. so its only a committal hearing. so court just wants to know basics. i.e was the accused in the vicinity of the crime at the times alleged. thats about it. once they establish basics they go to trial later in the year. committal will probably only last an hour.

[Bernard Shakey]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

ok. yes. so its only a committal hearing. so court just wants to know basics. i.e was the accused in the vicinity of the crime at the times alleged. thats about it. once they establish basics they go to trial later in the year. committal will probably only last an hour.

It's listed for four days.

[Thinline]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

ok. yes. so its only a committal hearing. so court just wants to know basics. i.e was the accused in the vicinity of the crime at the times alleged. thats about it. once they establish basics they go to trial later in the year. committal will probably only last an hour.

It's listed for four days.

Not unusual. Different availabilities for different people involved. Doesn't mean half a day in the box for every witness.

[Con Gorozidis]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

ok. yes. so its only a committal hearing. so court just wants to know basics. i.e was the accused in the vicinity of the crime at the times alleged. thats about it. once they establish basics they go to trial later in the year. committal will probably only last an hour.

It's listed for four days.

yeah. when are we going to get meaningful court/law reform. they just waste time. suits all parties to drag it on cos they get paid by the day.

[supersaints]

At least its not going to happen during the finals, no matter what it must distract the players .....

[stinger]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

ok. yes. so its only a committal hearing. so court just wants to know basics. i.e was the accused in the vicinity of the crime at the times alleged. thats about it. once they establish basics they go to trial later in the year. committal will probably only last an hour.

no quite...the prosecution has to establish a prima facie case against lovett......

[Thinline]

statement above your post con- you must have posted at same time
states they are attending as Civilian Witnesses.

ok. yes. so its only a committal hearing. so court just wants to know basics. i.e was the accused in the vicinity of the crime at the times alleged. thats about it. once they establish basics they go to trial later in the year. committal will probably only last an hour.

no quite...the prosecution has to establish a prima facie case against lovett......

What's the standard in an unwitnessed rape case? For instance...I'd imagine pretty high.

[saintbrat]

midday update
http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/lovett-r ... 11vks.html

[Beej]

Really shouldn't underestimate the toll this whole affair has taken on Gram which could explain the year he's having.

How did it tear his hip flexor or whatever it was he tore?

Seriously, though, I think people overstate the importance of 'scandals'. They're footballers surrounded by other footballers. Hardly an environment renowned for overwrought introspection...

When your missus/gf/girl you're seeing is allegedly attacked while you're a few feet away I imagine it could affect your mind/body and then your form, particularly having to revisit the thing time and time again with the police and lawyers.

We see footballers surrounded by other footballers with fast cars and even faster women and we think they're bullet-proof when really they are just human like you and I.

It's not something that I would like to go through.

[Thinline]

I still don't know how it tore his hip flexor.

His form was injury-riddled and now it's seemingly injury-ravaged.

I'm not sure your reason has had time to influence mine to be honest.

I'm not belittling the circumstances BTW.

[Beej]

I still don't know how it tore his hip flexor.

His form was injury-riddled and now it's seemingly injury-ravaged.

I'm not sure your reason has had time to influence mine to be honest.

I'm not belittling the circumstances BTW.

I've seen it more than once where a player who is suffering from personal problems has a horror year on the field as well as off.

Injuries, suspensions...

Something like this is a massive distraction and it can easily affect one's ability to prepare. When the body isn't prepared, I would suggest that they're more susceptible to injury which can then lead on to a whole range of things which all make it more difficult for a player to get back to his best.

It can have a snowball effect on a footballer.

Just my opinion.

[Milan Faletic]

About Lovett.

He never played for St Kilda, he just took our money.

He is more of an ex-Bomber than an ex-Saint. It's a shame we keep getting our club's name associated with him.

I hope this case galvanises the group.