Prosecutors in Australia have ended high-profile lawful motion versus a former authorities staffer accused of raping a colleague inside Parliament Dwelling, declaring a retrial would pose a “significant and unacceptable risk” to the woman’s life.
The Australian Cash Territory (ACT) director of community prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, informed reporters Friday that the danger to Brittany Higgins’ psychological health and fitness should be place forward of the need to have for a resolution in the case.
Higgins, a previous federal government staffer, alleges she was raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the workplace of Australia’s then defense minister in 2019.
Lehrmann pleaded not responsible to sexual intercourse with out consent and maintains he has never ever engaged in intercourse with Higgins, consensual or usually.
The demand has now been dropped.
Drumgold reported he experienced acquired “compelling evidence” from two unbiased health-related professionals that the “ongoing trauma related with this prosecution offers a major and unacceptable risk” to Higgins’ daily life.
“The evidence will make it obvious that this is not confined to the harm of supplying proof in a witness box,” he reported.
The situation went to trial in Canberra in October, but the decide ordered a retrial due to jury misconduct. The retrial had been set to consider spot in February 2023.
On the other hand, Drumgold advised reporters Friday that a retrial was no for a longer period in the general public interest.
“This has remaining me no possibility but to file a observe declining to continue with the retrial of this make a difference, which I have accomplished this early morning. This provides the prosecution to an finish,” Drumgold said.
Higgins is at present in hospital, according to a statement from her friend Emma Webster on Friday.
“The final couple of many years have been tough and unrelenting,” Webster said. “Brittany is extremely grateful for all the assist she has acquired, significantly from our psychological overall health treatment staff.”
In the initial demo, the judge dismissed the 12-member jury deliberating the rape verdict right after it was exposed a juror had researched the allegations and taken that data into the jury area.
Higgins alleged Lehrmann had raped her in 2019 after the two shared a taxi to Parliament House following a night time out with colleagues in the capital.
Higgins approached law enforcement quickly after the alleged incident but didn’t make a official complaint, citing fears that taking the make a difference more could damage her occupation.
But in 2021, she spoke to media and the scenario designed headlines, not only due to the fact of the locale of the alleged attack but owing to Higgins’ statements that she experienced been discouraged from coming ahead to stay away from political fallout prior to the 2019 election.
Lehrmann was arrested and charged past yr but the demo was delayed, partly due to fears that publicity close to the situation meant he would not get a good hearing.
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