Australia

Senator Mikalia Cash grilled at trial of man accused of raping Brittany Higgins

Liberal Senator Mikalia Cash was harshly questioned on the witness stand in the trial of the man accused of raping Brittany Higgins in the Capitol.

Bruce Lehman He has been accused of sexually assaulting a former liberal staffer in the office of Senator Linda Reynolds in the early hours of March 23, 2019.

Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to one count of nonconsensual sex.

The trial, which enters its third week in the ACT Supreme Court today, is likely to end this week, jurors have been told.

Prosecutors are expected to close the case by Tuesday, significantly shortening the timeline for the first four to six weeks of trial.

Senator Cash was questioned by prosecutors. HigginsHe claims to have disclosed the sexual assault allegations to the Senator before February 5, 2021.

The court rejected suggestions that Senator Cash had been informed of the allegations prior to this date, saying that until then he believed the matter was purely a security breach.

She told the court she didn’t know there was a “sexual component” to the situation until February 2021.

Senator Cash is being questioned by prosecutors about Higgins’ claim that he disclosed sexual assault allegations to Senators prior to February 5, 2021.

The court rejected suggestions that Senator Cash had been informed of the allegations prior to this date, saying that until then he believed the matter was purely a security breach.

She told the court she didn’t know there was a “sexual component” to the situation until February 2021.

Prosecutor Shane Drumgold asked Sen. Cash whether he could be “politically embarrassed” for the government if the sexual assault allegations were made public.

“Absolutely not,” she replied.

“I don’t see how that would be politically embarrassing. It’s something that needs attention.”

When asked if the exposed situation was “politically harmful,” the senator again replied, “Absolutely not.”

“I don’t understand the political ties to this,” she said.

Senator Cash was then asked by Mr. Drumgold if he knew the term “plausible denial.”

She asked to put the question in context, then told the prosecutor, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to ask me.”

Drumgold suggested that Senator Cash denied having been informed of the assault allegations before February 2021.

“Absolutely not,” she said.

“I don’t understand how to ask questions about political embarrassment.

Lehrmann’s attorney, Stephen Wibrow, suggested to Cash that trying to cover up the staff’s sexual assault was “political suicide.”

“Right. So my confusion with the previous set of questions,” she said.

Senator Cash later claimed that when he spoke with Higgins about the security breach at Senator Reynolds’ office in October 2019, the former employee “asserted that all matters were dealt with at that point.” Did.

Previously, Senator Cash appeared in court from afar.

Higgins began working for Senator Cash after the 2019 federal election and worked for her through 2021.

The senator said in court that he was the first to become aware of Higgins’ claim that he was assaulted by Lehrmann on February 5, 2021.

Higgins has consistently claimed to have had numerous conversations with Senator Cash about her allegations.

Senator Cash said he spoke with Higgins about past security breaches at Senator Reynolds’ office after receiving media inquiries in October 2019.

Senator Cash said in court that Higgins was “embarrassed” because the security breach involved herself.

She said the violation was related to Higgins and another staff member returning to Senator Reynolds’ office one night after going out drinking.

The court said Senator Cash understood that he “could be intoxicated” at the time.

Higgins later said he “fell asleep on the couch” in Senator Reynolds’ office and was found by security the next day.

Senator Reynolds is also scheduled to testify this week.

Higgins’ partner, David Sharaz, and Cash’s former chief of staff, Daniel Try, will also be called in to provide evidence.

Mr. Higgins completed his evidence on Friday after returning to the witness stand after being absent for four days.

During that time, several witnesses took the stand, including Higgins’ mother, an ex-boyfriend and a Capitol security guard.

However, a non-disclosure order prevented their evidence from being made public until Friday afternoon.

The court also held an interview between Mr. Lehrmann and police that was recorded in April 2021.

During the interview, as well as addressing Higgins’ allegations, Lehrmann was questioned about his purpose in entering Congress that night and contemplated self-harm after hearing about the allegations.

The police officer who conducted the interview told Mr. Lehrmann that he had reported to the police allegations that Mr. Higgins had had sex with her without her consent.

In an interview, the defendant told police, “Obviously, I reject that claim because it didn’t happen.

The trial continues.

Senator Mikalia Cash grilled at trial of man accused of raping Brittany Higgins

Source link Senator Mikalia Cash grilled at trial of man accused of raping Brittany Higgins

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