Monday, March 22, 2010

Rough Justice

Rough Justice is already to go but won't be in the shops until July. I think it's a great read, with Dan Shepherd having to investigate a rogue TSG unit. I think it's the best Shepherd book so far, and the longest at 502 pages.

I'm just about to start the next Shepherd book, though I still don't have the plot fixed. It'll come - hopefully!

The TSG is very much in the news this week as Sergeant Delroy Smellie goes on trial for assaulting a woman at the G20 summit in London last year. The TSG is great with nicknames but I figure they didn't have to put much thought into this guy's name. I'd never get away with a name like that in a thriller, either for a cop or a villain.

Sgt Smellie (he he he) is claiming that he mistook the carton of orange juice the woman was carrying as a weapon. Oh dear. One would have hoped that our elite police would have been better trained than that. I have to say the fact that the video of the assault is on YouTube for all to see does make it difficult for Sgt Smellie (he he he) to mount any sort of defence. Have a look. He doesn't look like a man in fear for his safety. I know the police were under a huge amount of pressure that day, and I have no sympathy for protesters who vent their anger on the police, but Sgt Smellie (he he he) would clearly be more at home handling a riot in Nigeria than a demonstration in London. I was brought up to believe that a man should never hit a woman, no matter what the provocation.....

There's no jury in court, just a judge, which is probably a good call from his defence team.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like she was right up in his face, having been clearly brushed off twice and told to back off. Is it fair to point out that in cases of domestic violence, a man merely shouting at a woman in the same manner is justification for arrest under zero tollerence.

So he slaps her on the back of the legs, not even that hard, enough to put her on her arse and maybe, just maybe shut up and calm down. That O/J could have been acid

Having been attacked by hysterical mobs in Ulster, I can attest that in such intense situations it is hard when all your senses are on hyper alert to make the right call, which is why I was glad that we had such strict protocols on the use of force.
Can't wait for the new book. Will give the nightingale books a go when they hit the bookshelves out here in witness protection (Tasmania).

Cartouche

March 23, 2010 at 5:24 AM
Stephen Leather said...

I dunno Cartouche, those things hurt. And he's a 6ft 4ins male and she is a small woman, albeit a mouthy one! The push was okay, the slap maybe, but the belting with the baton was a mistake!

PS You know the point of witness protection is that you don't tell anyone where you are, right? ;-)

March 23, 2010 at 9:07 AM
John Potter said...

If anyone started throwing the contents of a orange carton over me I would probably react in the same or at least equal manner as Mr Smellie, regardless of the throwers gender or size. It's not acceptable.

Just because he is a policeman you get to throw stuff at them? What if it had been battery acid and painted to look like a carton. As soon as the crowd move from peaceful protest to antagonistic behavior then out with the batons and go for it.

I remember the protests in London in 1999, a couple of steel drums and dancing turned into something out of Lord of the Flies and a Police escort to the train station.

If they don't want a beating they should get out of the way.

March 23, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Anonymous said...

Ha ha , yes, that would be the case. Obviously I'm not in Wit sec, but I tell you, it would be the ideal location, its a beautiful place with a temperate climate, but when it comes down to it its an afterthought on the global map.
Just a thought though. I think its fair to say that something twice the size should not be hitting something half their size no matter what the provocation. Oh but then again watching women beat the bejesus out of their kids in the supermarket would be ok??
of course not, we all know that. But as we struggle in a post emancipation era, I think someone might want to bring the chicks up to speed on what full equality is, it equals respect.

Cartouche

March 24, 2010 at 5:17 AM

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