Author Topic: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins  (Read 5019 times)

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Offline Dakota Bob

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"Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« on: June 20, 2013, 05:05:37 pm »

Further evidence that the libel system in the UK is broken

So some Daily Mail writer accuses her of perpetrating a scam, and using an earpiece to recieve information from off-stage about audience members. she sues because of that, and won. although I'm pretty sure that claiming you can recieve information from the spirit-world and charging is a scam because PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T FUCKING DO THAT.

Offline kefkaownsall

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2013, 05:09:56 pm »
Now I am reminded of the McLibel case
On the plus side the daily heil got hurt

Offline mythbuster43

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2013, 05:41:15 pm »
I never though I'd ever say this, but I'm on the Daily Mail's side for this one.

Offline Xander Zzyzx

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2013, 03:07:01 pm »
I don't know what side to take in this situation. I don't like psychic scammers, but I'm also enjoying hearing about the Daily Fail getting sued too.

Offline Rabbit of Caerbannog

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2013, 03:20:25 pm »
I never though I'd ever say this, but I'm on the Daily Mail's side for this one.
Same here. What the fuck?

Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2013, 03:44:59 pm »
I don't know what side to take in this situation. I don't like psychic scammers, but I'm also enjoying hearing about the Daily Fail getting sued too.

Don't need to take a side.  Laugh at the psychic for getting humiliated, laugh at Daily Fail for getting sued.  It's like watching two bullies getting each other in trouble on the playground.
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Offline Cloud3514

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2013, 02:39:35 am »
*journalist hat on*

Can someone explain the situation that led up to the court case? While it may be true that the "psychic" is running a scam, the thing that I'm getting here is that she may have sued for false allegations of how she ran her scam, not that she ran a scam in the first place. As far as I know, if she has a disclaimer of some sort, whether it be a waiver or otherwise, she isn't doing anything wrong in the eyes of the law. Even if she's running a scam (which, frankly, she is due to the mere nature of supposed psychics), if the "victims" waive their right to sue, she isn't breaking any laws.

The issue comes into what the allegations The Daily Mail put forth. Though I can't speak for UK libel laws, we can probably assume that she has her audiences sign waivers, which would allow her to put on her scam (and it is sad in and of itself that people would still fall for a psychic if she needs a damn waiver out of you). If The Daily Mail reported the wrong way that she did things, she has a case, as stupid as it may be. If they're simply reporting that she runs a scam, then I have no idea how the case wasn't dismissed immediately because of how completely absurd it is. And if things are exactly as The Daily Mail said, then she should have lost, which may mean issues with UK libel laws that I'm not aware of. After all, it isn't libel if its true.

That said, I can't imagine that there isn't any real libel done by The Daily Mail as they are, you know, The Daily Mail.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2013, 02:41:37 am by Wolf Lord Waldorf X »
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Offline Jack Mann

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2013, 04:18:20 am »
Keep in mind that in Britain, libel laws work pretty much the opposite of the US laws.  In the US, the onus is on the accuser to prove that the statement is libelous.  In Britain, the onus is on the accused to prove it isn't.  The psychic doesn't have to prove she has psychic abilities.  The Daily Mail has to prove that she doesn't.  More than that, it has to prove that she knows she doesn't have psychic abilities, and is purposely fraudulent, which is nearly impossible to do (since there's very little obvious difference between a sincere nutjob and a deliberate fraud in practice).

The Daily Mail probably could have gotten away with saying she didn't have psychic powers.  They could have made their case based on the impossibility of such abilities, and possibly convinced the court.  But they can't honestly prove that she's deliberately defrauding people.  Simon Singh got into similar trouble over calling chiropractics quacks.
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Offline Cloud3514

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2013, 12:53:08 pm »
Keep in mind that in Britain, libel laws work pretty much the opposite of the US laws.  In the US, the onus is on the accuser to prove that the statement is libelous.  In Britain, the onus is on the accused to prove it isn't.  The psychic doesn't have to prove she has psychic abilities.  The Daily Mail has to prove that she doesn't.  More than that, it has to prove that she knows she doesn't have psychic abilities, and is purposely fraudulent, which is nearly impossible to do (since there's very little obvious difference between a sincere nutjob and a deliberate fraud in practice).

The Daily Mail probably could have gotten away with saying she didn't have psychic powers.  They could have made their case based on the impossibility of such abilities, and possibly convinced the court.  But they can't honestly prove that she's deliberately defrauding people.  Simon Singh got into similar trouble over calling chiropractics quacks.

Yeah, that's fucking stupid.
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2013, 01:19:50 pm »
Keep in mind that in Britain, libel laws work pretty much the opposite of the US laws.  In the US, the onus is on the accuser to prove that the statement is libelous.  In Britain, the onus is on the accused to prove it isn't.  The psychic doesn't have to prove she has psychic abilities.  The Daily Mail has to prove that she doesn't.  More than that, it has to prove that she knows she doesn't have psychic abilities, and is purposely fraudulent, which is nearly impossible to do (since there's very little obvious difference between a sincere nutjob and a deliberate fraud in practice).

The Daily Mail probably could have gotten away with saying she didn't have psychic powers.  They could have made their case based on the impossibility of such abilities, and possibly convinced the court.  But they can't honestly prove that she's deliberately defrauding people.  Simon Singh got into similar trouble over calling chiropractics quacks.

Yeah, that's fucking stupid.

I agree.  That's fucking ass backwards.

Incidentally, I am glad that someone called this psychic out on her bullshit, even if it was the Daily Mail.  I'm also glad that someone managed to damage the Daily Mail, even if it was for a fallacious reason.  My enemies fighting each other makes me happy.

As an explanation on my opinion on the matter, I do believe that there are people who can sense beyond the veil and get glimpses of the future and such.  Or, to be blunt, I do believe in psychic powers (because of personal experiences that lead me to believe they exist, in case anyone was wondering.)  So, one would normally think I'd be inclined to side with the psychic in this matter until it was absolutely proven that she's a scam artist.
NOPE.
I hate the god damn cold readers. It's hard to explain exactly why, but it's BECAUSE I believe in this kinda stuff that I hate them and am inherently skeptical of people who claim to be professional psychics or mediums.

Generally, if they appear on TV in anything but a documentary (and many times, even then) I'm instantly distrustful of them.

And that's my opinion that I'm pretty sure most of you didn't care to know XD
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wrightway

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2013, 01:32:58 pm »
Adding to the nobody cares to know:

 My family knows a professional psychic, he used to be a neighbor and my mother grew up with him. He hates the cold readers with a passion. My fundie family gets around his gifts by saying they come from the devil.

Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #11 on: June 24, 2013, 01:44:18 pm »
Adding to the nobody cares to know:

 My family knows a professional psychic, he used to be a neighbor and my mother grew up with him. He hates the cold readers with a passion. My fundie family gets around his gifts by saying they come from the devil.

Sounds like an interesting guy.  I wish I could meet him to see what he's like.
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wrightway

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #12 on: June 24, 2013, 02:03:37 pm »
I can't remember what name he's going by, but his office is based out of San Diego. And he and his husband are well known in those circles in California.

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Re: "Psychic" sues The Daily Mail for libel and wins
« Reply #13 on: June 24, 2013, 02:33:04 pm »
I can't remember what name he's going by, but his office is based out of San Diego. And he and his husband are well known in those circles in California.

The intrigue level has been doubled!
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