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Gonçalo Amaral insists that the
lawfulness of his book
Maddie: A Verdade da Mentira is
“indisputable” and has reiterated that
he may file a counter lawsuit against
Kate and Gerry McCann.
The lead detective in the original
investigation into the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann revealed this in a
Facebook message to supporters in which
he gave an assessment of his position on
the
current libel action brought against
him by the McCanns.
Mr Amaral said he was considering
seeking compensation from the McCanns
and others for the enormous damages he
claims they have caused him on different
levels.
Both Kate and Gerry McCann were allowed
to
address the court in Lisbon’s Palace
of Justice a fortnight before the
long-running trial was adjourned yet
again. The suspension meant that closing
arguments on behalf of Mr Amaral could
not be heard before the court went into
summer recess.
In his Facebook statement, Mr Amaral
began by saying: “Upon reading the news
about the most recent trial session, I
am certain that the vast majority of
journalists don’t know what is being
discussed in court, and have not
reported correctly.”
He went on to itemise what he sees as
being at stake in the trial.
The court must decide whether writing
the book was a lawful or unlawful
action, whether or not the McCanns have
suffered damages and whether or not
there are facts to prove it. Also at
stake is whether or not it is possible
to establish a causal nexus between the
book and such damages, he said.
He insisted that the lawfulness of the
book was indisputable because of a
decision of the Appellate Court in
Lisbon, which overturned an earlier
ruling banning the book.
“With proof of the lawfulness of the
book, the matter should rest here,
without the need to investigate anything
further, namely concerning the damages
that the plaintiffs complain about,” he
said.
“Nonetheless, we should note that even
if the lawfulness may still be at stake,
there is still the need to establish a
causal nexus between the publication and
the damages that the plaintiffs complain
about, such as deep depression, social
isolation, etc. And, of course, to prove
that said damages, no matter where they
originate from, really exist.”
Mr Amaral continued: “Concerning the
social part, it seems obvious to me, if
we pay attention to the countless social
events that the plaintiffs have
participated in, including speeches at
the British Parliament, interviews on
television shows like Oprah Winfrey’s,
gala dinners with illustrious
personalities, namely British, among
others, that said social isolation is
totally false.
“Concerning the depressions, although
they are in no way proved within the
case, in my opinion, in fact it would be
very strange if they didn’t exist. The
disappearance of a daughter, whether she
is dead or alive, whether or not she was
abducted, has to originate enormous
consequences of that kind. How strange
would it be if that wasn’t the case!
“But about this issue I won’t say
anything further, given that the
plaintiffs seem to attribute to me and
my book all of their pain, as if said
disappearance, followed by their arguido
status and other circumstances that
surround the case, were of no
importance, or weren’t more than
enough!”
Mr Amaral blamed the latest postponement
of the case on “clearly dilatory
manoeuvres” on the part of the McCanns.
He wants the case to finish as soon as
possible, he said, but fears it will
drag on for a long time, exacerbated by
a scheduled reorganisation within the
judicial system in September following
the end of the summer recess.
Despite this, “my trust in Portuguese
justice remains steadfast,” Mr Amaral
said.
In thanking those who have supported
him, he said it would have been
impossible to fight the McCann’s libel
action without them.
Towards the end of his statement, he
revealed that he is considering filing a
lawsuit against the McCann couple and
others, “in order to be compensated for
the enormous damages that they have
caused me already, on all levels, such
as moral, professional and financial.”
Mr Amaral concluded: “The time to
judicially react to all those who have
put my privacy, my intimacy, my freedom
of expression and opinion, and my
survival conditions at stake is
approaching.
“They have tried to assassinate me
civilly, but due to the support and
solidarity of all of you, they were not
successful.” |
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