Poor v Rich

It is probably one of the oldest battles in the book. It's the story of injustice, and how the balance gets tipped if you are either rich or poor. In this case it is one of the richest and most influential men in the world versus a lowly, immigrant, hotel maid. The poor maid claims that the rich man raped her, and the rich man spent some time in custody, before getting put on house arrest. Well, for him house arrest was being held in a mansion, but able to go about freely while tagged during the day. In the meantime, the maid is in hiding, very understandably afraid. She knows that money talks, and in this case shouts!

The rich man's lawyers have been busy, and now the case, and therefore the trial is on the verge of collapsing. The reason is that they have found a difference in the maid's statements taken after the 'alleged' (I have to say that) rape. In one statement, she said she reported the incident straight away, and in the other, she said she cleaned a room before she reported the rape. Who knows what was going through the mind of a young immigrant worker who has a job to keep, and has just been (allegedly) raped? One thing is for sure, she wouldn't have been thinking straight, and it is worth noting that she didn't know who the rich man was, or how influential, at the time.

I see this as a typical 'legal technicality' which taints and corrupts our sophisticated legal systems, and renders it useless and even corrupt. There is no doubt that this case will fold, and both these characters in the drama will return to their lives in some way. The rich man to his politics, safe in the knowledge that he has not been found guilty of anything, but the maid... where does she go? She has no job now, and is now looked on as a liar and a cheat. What chance does she now have? And all based on what? Evidence that the rape didn't happen? No. Disproof of the forensic evidence already found on his clothes? No. A change of the facts as to how the incident happened? No. It is all based on the words of a scared, terrified, poor maid who said two things, neither of which disproves the rich man's guilt. And you ask me to believe that he is innocent? Well, do you? Once again, in the ongoing battle of rich against poor, rich wins. Every time!

I had thought it a bit like a modern day 'David and Goliath' story, except that in today's society, David would have been convicted and found guilty, and beheaded, for being underage and in possession of an offensive weapon, a slingshot. Meanwhile Goliath would be the hero, and given a knighthood. Ok, ok, I am just being cynical, but tell me I'm wrong!