Talk:Rosemary West

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[edit] Doubts about guilt

I do feel that this page needs to be edited to refelect the very considerable doubts surrounding Rosemary West's guilt. A great deal has been written about the complete lack of evidence linking her to the murders at Cromwell Street and her conviction seems to be based on little more than the idea that "She Must Have Known" (see Brian Masters' 1996 book). She was really only put on trial at all because the main suspect (Fred West) committed suicide before he could be convicted. The police had never intended to prosecute her and clearly only did so because of the enormous public appetite for retribution fed by overwhelming and highly prejudicial media coverage. There can be few more blatant and high profile miscarriages of justice than this in British legal history.

Yes, I couldn't agree more. The use of "similar fact" evidence was plain wrong and this proved enormously powerful in misdirecting the jury. Apparently Justice Mantell was not corrected at the time! She was not even charged with murder at the start of the process; only when Fred killed himself.

Crazy really.84.64.183.94 11:14, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

I thought the Doubt section was very POV myself, but as no one else seems to have found it objectionable, I'm leaving it alone. I am removing "though it is possible that the Wests may have murdered men and boys as well." Sure, it's possible. Anything is possible. However, no evidence or sources are presented to indicate that this is likely.24.131.12.228 08:19, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] www.rotten.com

I feel the addition of www.rotten.com as a link is totally unjustworthy and frankly, sickening, hence my removal of it.

--Porterjoh 21:35, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Inconsistancy in article

There is an inconsistancy in the article at the start it states that Rose West was involved in the killing of Fred Wests first wife; later in the article it states that she was involved in only ten murders not twelve one of the other two being Fred Wests first wife.

Text: Convicted of ten murders, including her daughter Heather, stepdaughter Charmaine and her husband and fellow serial killer Fred West's first wife, and a series of sexual assaults between 1969 and 1994.

Later on (other victims) Text: Rose West was convicted of ten murders and the police have concluded that her late husband Fred murdered a total of twelve, but Rose played no part in the first two murders. Fred West killed Ann McFall alone in 1967 and his first wife in August 1971.

I agree. There's also the inconsistency of the authoratative assertions about her sexuality and the reasons for the abductions/murders (her satisfaction), and the later sections casting doubt on the validity of her conviction. IMO if assertions such as those made early on are to stand, they must be backed up by a reliable source. For instance, I don't think people's sexual orientation should be included unless there is very good evidence (preferably a statement by the individual), and the stuff about her offspring being the product of soliciting black men also needs to be backed up. Anchoress 10:57, 22 November 2006 (UTC)