The Law Show Folgen

Conviction rates for rape trials are lower than those for other criminal trials, and the court experience can be intrusive and harrowing for survivors. The Law Commission of England and Wales (the independent body that advises the government on law reform), has just published a new consultation paper for how to change this. Criminal law commissioner Prof Penney Lewis, and before her Independent Sexual Violence Adviser Annabelle Edwards of Rape Crisis, speak about the reforms they'd like to see. The Scottish government's Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) bill also aims to improve rape trials. If passed, it would abolish the "not proven" option for acquittal, create specialist rape courts, and controversially establish the option of judge-only, non-jury trials as a pilot scheme, as it's feared rape myths might influence some jurors. Fiona Leverick, professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice at the University of Glasgow and Tony Lenehan KC, president of the Faculty of Advocates' Criminal Bar Association discuss the bill.The Hollywood stars and former married couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard faced each other during two separate libel trials that asked whether or not Mr Depp physically abused Ms Heard. Depp lost the first case, against the owners of the Sun newspaper. It was heard by a judge in the High Court in London. Depp won the second case, against his ex-wife, decided by a jury in the United States. Nick Wallis is the only journalist to have covered both trials. He contrasts them in his new book "Depp v Heard, the Unheard Story".Presenter: Joshua Rozenberg Producer: Arlene Gregorius Researcher: Bethan Ashmead Latham Sound engineer: Neil Churchill Editor: Clare Fordham Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

For a special edition recorded on location in Belfast, Joshua Rozenberg returns to Northern Ireland 25 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, which he reported on at the time. Meeting old contacts and new, he finds out what it took to get the negotiations over the line and what legacy the ground-breaking peace deal has had. He also hears about the challenges involved in achieving justice for the murders that remain unsolved; what problems remain with paramilitaries; and the UK government's attempt to bring about reconciliation. Will its Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill help, or rub salt in old wounds? And on the legal differences between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, Joshua meets a campaigner who had to travel to England to have an abortion. As a result of an intervention by the Westminster government, terminations have since become legal (up to a point in the pregnancy), but some women still have to leave Northern Ireland to have the procedure.Guests: Denis Murray, former BBC Ireland correspondent Peter Sheridan, former senior police officer, now CEO of Cooperation Ireland Louise Mallinder, professor of law at Queen's University Belfast Naomi Connor, co-convener of Alliance for Choice Presenter: Joshua Rozenberg Producer: Arlene Gregorius Researcher: Diane Richardson Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Studio Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Simon Watts

New evidence shows that if a rape case actually comes to court, then - despite popular perceptions - juries are more likely to convict than not, says Professor Cheryl Thomas of UCL. The UK’s forensic science used to be considered the gold standard, but no longer. The risk of miscarriages of justice is growing. And now a new Westminster Commission is trying to find out what went wrong. Joshua talks to its co-chair, leading forensic scientist Dr Angela Gallop CBE, and to criminal defence barrister Katy Thorne KC. The Director of Public Prosecutions Max Hill KC speaks to Joshua about all this, and about his record as the head of the Crown Prosecution Service. Max Hill also breaks the news that he will not seek a second term. From Epstein to Trump: are America’s rich and powerful above the law? The former New York prosecutor and now CNN's senior legal analyst Elie Honig argues that they are, and has just written a book about this: 'Untouchable — How powerful people get away with it'.Presenter: Joshua Rozenberg Producer: Arlene Gregorius Researcher: Diane Richardson Editor: Simon Watts Sound engineer: James Beard Picture credit: Nicholas Posner