Ed Olympic swimmers may have lied about being robbed

[Foolmewunz]

"Perception" being the operative keyword.

Yeah, because we locals wouldn't know if the police were corrupt. Of the countries I'm familiar with, that index is fairly accurate. In fact, I'd say that "perception", because it's the opinions of people who have to get by in those countries every day, is rather important. The only drawback I see is that they don't rank Thailand high enough... we have our pride, after all. I think people get so inured to the corruption that it's part of every day life and they don't complain any longer.

 

[cullennz]

If it helps.

With Bastareaud doing the same thing. After apologies.

No charges. Dude was kicked out of the French rugby team.

Tried to commit suicide.

Has been back to NZ playing

 

[catsmate]

Do it only if the DA has offered your lawyer an acceptable deal - and only then.

Apologizing at the request of the Police is an admission of Guilt with no deal included (Police can't make deals - although they will most often lie and say they can).


Again Lawyering 101.

Who would that be? You?

Sticking with the "corrupt police" line?

 

[Tolls]

Yeah, because we locals wouldn't know if the police were corrupt. Of the countries I'm familiar with, that index is fairly accurate. In fact, I'd say that "perception", because it's the opinions of people who have to get by in those countries every day, is rather important. The only drawback I see is that they don't rank Thailand high enough... we have our pride, after all. I think people get so inured to the corruption that it's part of every day life and they don't complain any longer.

I don't know if the same applies in countries with fairly, um, "dodgy" policing, but I do know that in the UK the perception of crime is always higher than actuality.

 

[3point14]

I wonder if there's a tariff somewhere?


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37130024

 

[cullennz]

I think some Americans on the thread kind of need to realise in most countries you don't need to get lawyered up and assume you will face the worst wraith if you just show a bit of contrition and regret. And apologise

You will be forgiven

Nothing will happen

 

[elgarak]

You're wrong. What I am saying applies to any legal system.
[..]

No. There are jurisdictions (like here in Germany) where giving false statement to the police alone is not illegal. Because lawmakers understood (or were advised) that eyewitness testimony can be erroneous, and that people lie -- in general, even when they are not guilty of the crime in question. And police is very fine with these laws, because it gets people to TALK.

 

[GlennB]

No. There are jurisdictions (like here in Germany) where giving false statement to the police alone is not illegal. Because lawmakers understood (or were advised) that eyewitness testimony can be erroneous, and that people lie -- in general, even when they are not guilty of the crime in question. And police is very fine with these laws, because it gets people to TALK.

Wasting police time, knowingly, is certainly an offence in some countries. Not in Germany?

 

[elgarak]

Wasting police time, knowingly, is certainly an offence in some countries. Not in Germany?

Sure, but how is lying wasting police time? It CAN be, but it MUST not be in general.

It's the same with escaping from prison. Which in itself is not illegal here -- lawmakers understood that people do not generally like being incarcerated -- but a lot of actions to make the escape happen ARE illegal.

Heck, even perjury (lying in court) is not necessarily punishable -- because you're NOT generally put under oath when you're a witness in court hereabouts. Unless you are, and then it becomes perjury.

 

[cullennz]

Sure, but how is lying wasting police time? It CAN be, but it MUST not be in general.

It's the same with escaping from prison. Which in itself is not illegal here -- lawmakers understood that people do not generally like being incarcerated -- but a lot of actions to make the escape happen ARE illegal.

Heck, even perjury (lying in court) is not necessarily punishable -- because you're NOT generally put under oath when you're a witness in court hereabouts. Unless you are, and then it becomes perjury.

Police follow leads from witness statements. To deliberately lie to them to follow a false lead is wasting police time.

How can it not be

 

[AcesHigh]

No. There are jurisdictions (like here in Germany) where giving false statement to the police alone is not illegal. Because lawmakers understood (or were advised) that eyewitness testimony can be erroneous, and that people lie -- in general, even when they are not guilty of the crime in question. And police is very fine with these laws, because it gets people to TALK.

that happens in ANY country, including Brazil and USA. Giving false testimony KNOWING it to be false, is a crime. Intent.

so you think they did not remember what really happened? That's always a good excuse to drunkards.

however, other swimmers accused Lochte of fabricating the story. He gave the police the same account he gave his mother. They said they had things stolen that were never stolen (because if they said thieves dresses as cops had robbed only $50 dollars, not even taken watches and cell phones, the story was dead right away)

I don´t buy it.

 

[Arisia]

This all stems from Lochte's bonehead decision to lie to his mom about that night. They paid for the damage (with some 'assistance' from armed security), so it's not a vandalism charge they were facing, but the false reporting. If Lochte hadn't told his mom anything, this would have been a very small blip in the news cycle, if it made the news at all. The charitable contribution subbing for a fine is a good way for everyone to look a little better coming out of this.

 

[elgarak]

Police follow leads from witness statements. To deliberately lie to them to follow a false lead is wasting police time.

How can it not be

Okay, maybe the better way to say it: It's not prosecuted. There are a few peculiarities in German law using this construction: It IS illegal, but you don't gain anything by prosecuting. So it's written explicitly in law that it cannot be prosecuted unless certain conditions are met.

For the "wasting police time": the term used in German law translates to "obstructing justice", but there are a lot of exceptions whether or not a willful lie can be prosecuted. Say, lying about the whereabouts of a perp (though there are graduations depending on the severity of the crime). See, German law recognizes that perps do not want to be caught, and most people cannot be forced to help police doing that. As an example, if you state "I don't know where he is", even though you do, this lie cannot be prosecuted. However, stating "He's in Berlin" when you know he's in Cologne at the other end of the country, it can, because that's sending police on a wild goose chase. (You can still send police to search in Berlin if you construct the lie carefully, and offers it as a possibility instead of an absolute fact, and get way with it). There's still the problem of proving that you know about Cologne, and proving that you state it intentionally to mislead police, which is why it's mostly considered a waste of time to prosecute.

 

[Jules Galen]

The lawyer for U.S. Olympic swimmer James Feigen says he will pay about $10,800 Friday and then leave Brazil following the robbery scandal involving the U.S. swim team.

http://pilotonline.com/sports/other...cle_31f5afd9-f932-52fb-99cb-44366861c3e9.html


http://www.espn.com/olympics/swimmi...-make-10800-payment-leave-brazil-amid-scandal

 

[3point14]

The lawyer for U.S. Olympic swimmer James Feigen says he will pay about $10,800 Friday and then leave Brazil following the robbery scandal involving the U.S. swim team.

http://pilotonline.com/sports/other...cle_31f5afd9-f932-52fb-99cb-44366861c3e9.html


http://www.espn.com/olympics/swimmi...-make-10800-payment-leave-brazil-amid-scandal

From the link: "The lawyer said under Brazilian law, a donation can be made to avoid criminal prosecution for minor offenses,"

I wonder if there's a tariff somewhere?


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37130024

I guess this was a yes

 

[Lerxst]

I think this was just another attempt by Lochte to steal some of the attention from Michael Phelps.

 

[Puppycow]

So if it's not obvious to everyone by now that the story was complete BS, the U.S. Olympic Committee has apologized to Brazil for their behavior:'We Apologize' To Rio And Brazil, U.S. Olympic Committee Chief Says

Announcing that two swimmers have now flown out of a Rio airport after being detained by police, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun is apologizing for how the pair and two other swimmers behaved in Brazil.

"The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable," Blackmun said, referring to swimmers Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger.

Bentz and Conger — who were taken off a plane at Tom Jobim International Airport on Wednesday and whose passports were seized by police who wanted answers about a reported robbery — gave statements to the authorities and have now been allowed to leave Rio de Janeiro, Blackmun said late Thursday.

Lochte has been back in the U.S. for several days.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for Feigen tells The Associated Press that the fourth swimmer has reached an agreement with a Brazilian judge, under which he will donate 35,000 reals ($10,800) to a group, get his passport back and leave Brazil. The attorney tells the wire service that under Brazilian law, donations can be made to avoid minor criminal charges.

So that's it. I hope Lochte mans up and makes a similar donation as amends.

 

[AcesHigh]

I think this was just another attempt by Lochte to steal some of the attention from Michael Phelps.

that would contradict what people said about his intelligence.

creating such stupid lie without thinking about consequences and causing international comotion, however, perfectly fits his "whatever" attitude and IQ.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Yeah, because we locals wouldn't know if the police were corrupt. Of the countries I'm familiar with, that index is fairly accurate. In fact, I'd say that "perception", because it's the opinions of people who have to get by in those countries every day, is rather important. The only drawback I see is that they don't rank Thailand high enough... we have our pride, after all. I think people get so inured to the corruption that it's part of every day life and they don't complain any longer.

As you know, the perception in the US is that child abductions are far more prevalent now than they were way back in the 50's (stranger danger), even though all known statistical measures show that to be nonsense. Of course, the locals all know that it is true, so it must be.

 

[Lerxst]

that would contradict what people said about his intelligence.

creating such stupid lie without thinking about consequences and causing international comotion, however, perfectly fits his "whatever" attitude and IQ.

That's just what he wants you to think.