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Walmart, Gap Clothing and IBM's gang rapists denied legal counsel. "7,000 lawyers will not represent..."
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G. A.
Jan 7, 2013, 11:04:10 AM1/7/13
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http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/02/world/asia/india-rape-case/
(CNN) -- Top lawyers in the India district where a woman was
gang-raped are saying that they will not represent the six men
accused in the attack, which led to her death.
The 11 lawyers who make up the executive board of the Saket Bar
Association on Wednesday vowed not to represent any of the
accused assailants because of the nature of the crime. The
brutal attack galvanized the nation and has led to protests by
outraged citizens.
In addition, the bar association has appealed to its 7,000
members to also refrain from representing the accused, said the
association's president, Rajpal Kasana.
"We are not taking this case on the grounds of humanity," he
said.
The boycott by the bar association does not mean the accused
will not have lawyers. Attorneys from other districts or ones
appointed by the court will likely fill that role.
"We want it to be clear that we will not obstruct or stand in
the way of any lawyer who is court-appointed or who represents
these assailants -- we do realize that they will be defended by
someone, most possibly legal aid," Kasana said.
The call for local lawyers to avoid defending the accused is
unprecedented, but justified because "everyone is emotionally
attached to this case," he said.
The 23-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, died
last week in a Singapore hospital, where she received treatment
after being airlifted from New Delhi.
Attackers assaulted the woman and her male companion on a bus
December 16, robbing them of their belongings before dumping
them at the side of a road, police said.
The male companion was eventually discharged from a hospital.
Singapore doctors said the woman died "peacefully" early
Saturday, surrounded by her family and Indian Embassy officials.
She had been in "extremely critical condition" since her arrival.
India's Supreme Court on Thursday will hear a petition asking it
to suspend all lawmakers who face charges for crimes against
women. The petition was filed in the aftermath of the brutal
gang rape, which sent thousands of outraged protesters to the
streets for days.
"This unfortunate episode has galvanized the nation," said
Jagdeep S. Chhokar, an official with the Association for
Democratic Reforms, which tracks political candidate's criminal
records.
Chhokar said six Indian state lawmakers are facing rape charges,
and two people in the federal parliament are also facing charges
of crimes against women that fall short of rape.
The group says that in the past five years, political parties
across India have nominated 260 candidates facing charges of
crimes against women such as assault and outraging the modesty
of a woman.
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(CNN) -- Top lawyers in the India district where a woman was
gang-raped are saying that they will not represent the six men
accused in the attack, which led to her death.
The 11 lawyers who make up the executive board of the Saket Bar
Association on Wednesday vowed not to represent any of the
accused assailants because of the nature of the crime. The
brutal attack galvanized the nation and has led to protests by
outraged citizens.
In addition, the bar association has appealed to its 7,000
members to also refrain from representing the accused, said the
association's president, Rajpal Kasana.
"We are not taking this case on the grounds of humanity," he
said.
The boycott by the bar association does not mean the accused
will not have lawyers. Attorneys from other districts or ones
appointed by the court will likely fill that role.
"We want it to be clear that we will not obstruct or stand in
the way of any lawyer who is court-appointed or who represents
these assailants -- we do realize that they will be defended by
someone, most possibly legal aid," Kasana said.
The call for local lawyers to avoid defending the accused is
unprecedented, but justified because "everyone is emotionally
attached to this case," he said.
The 23-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, died
last week in a Singapore hospital, where she received treatment
after being airlifted from New Delhi.
Attackers assaulted the woman and her male companion on a bus
December 16, robbing them of their belongings before dumping
them at the side of a road, police said.
The male companion was eventually discharged from a hospital.
Singapore doctors said the woman died "peacefully" early
Saturday, surrounded by her family and Indian Embassy officials.
She had been in "extremely critical condition" since her arrival.
India's Supreme Court on Thursday will hear a petition asking it
to suspend all lawmakers who face charges for crimes against
women. The petition was filed in the aftermath of the brutal
gang rape, which sent thousands of outraged protesters to the
streets for days.
"This unfortunate episode has galvanized the nation," said
Jagdeep S. Chhokar, an official with the Association for
Democratic Reforms, which tracks political candidate's criminal
records.
Chhokar said six Indian state lawmakers are facing rape charges,
and two people in the federal parliament are also facing charges
of crimes against women that fall short of rape.
The group says that in the past five years, political parties
across India have nominated 260 candidates facing charges of
crimes against women such as assault and outraging the modesty
of a woman.
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