11. Faruq's Trial part 4
It's the final couple of days of Faruq's rape trial. We hear the prosecution and defence counsels' closing speeches followed by judge's directions before the jury retires to deliberate. It's a good day and a half before the jury returns with its unanimous verdict.
While we don't and can't know how they reached their decision, Dr Candida Saunders grapples with the presumption of innocence, the burden and standard of proof as she reflects on how and why she came to the same conclusion as the jury, given the evidence and arguments in the case.
The question isn't whether she's right or wrong. Whether she's got to the truth. It's whether she's sure.
**Listener discretion is advised**
The broader research underpinning this season of Criminal Justice in Action is reported in our book, Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025). The book examines cross-examination across the UK and Ireland drawing on trial observations, practitioner interviews, and a linguistic analysis of courtroom exchanges in light of recent reforms.
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Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.
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