Talk:Bruce Lehrmann

A request has been made for this article to be peer reviewed to receive a broader perspective on how it may be improved. Please make any edits you see fit to improve the quality of this article.

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Bruce Lehrmann article.
This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject.

Put new text under old text. Click here to start a new topic.
New to Wikipedia? Welcome! Learn to edit; get help.

Article policies

Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL

Archives: 1: 30 days

The contentious topics procedure applies to this page. This page is related to articles about living or recently deceased people, and edits relating to the subject (living or recently deceased) of such biographical articles, which has been designated as a contentious topic.

Editors who repeatedly or seriously fail to adhere to the purpose of Wikipedia, any expected standards of behaviour, or any normal editorial process may be blocked or restricted by an administrator. Editors are advised to familiarise themselves with the contentious topics procedures before editing this page.

This article is written in Australian English, which has its own spelling conventions (colour, realise, program, labour (but Labor Party)) and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other varieties of English. According to the relevant style guide, this should not be changed without broad consensus.

This article must adhere to the biographies of living persons (BLP) policy, even if it is not a biography, because it contains material about living persons. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libellous. If such material is repeatedly inserted, or if you have other concerns, please report the issue to this noticeboard.

If you are a subject of this article, or acting on behalf of one, and you need help, please see this help page.

Biography

This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize Wikipedia's articles about people. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation.BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Biographybiography

Australia: Canberra / Queensland / Crime / Politics Low‑importance

	Australia portal Bruce Lehrmann is within the scope of WikiProject Australia, which aims to improve Wikipedia's coverage of Australia and Australia-related topics. If you would like to participate, visit the project page.AustraliaWikipedia:WikiProject AustraliaTemplate:WikiProject AustraliaAustralia
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.
	This article is supported by WikiProject Canberra (assessed as Low-importance).
	This article is supported by WikiProject Queensland (assessed as Low-importance).
	This article is supported by WikiProject Australian crime (assessed as Low-importance).
	This article is supported by WikiProject Australian politics (assessed as Low-importance).
	Need help improving this article? Ask a Librarian^{What's this?} at the National Library of Australia, or the State Library of Queensland.
	The Wikimedia Australia chapter can be contacted via email to helpwikimedia.org.au for non-editorial assistance.

Politics Low‑importance

	Politics portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Politics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of politics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.PoliticsWikipedia:WikiProject PoliticsTemplate:WikiProject Politicspolitics
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

Crime and Criminal Biography Low‑importance

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject Crime and Criminal Biography, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Crime and Criminal Biography articles on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.Crime and Criminal BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject Crime and Criminal BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Crime and Criminal BiographyCrime-related
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.

United States: Texas Low‑importance

	United States portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions. Template Usage Articles Requested! Become a Member Project Talk Alerts United StatesWikipedia:WikiProject United StatesTemplate:WikiProject United StatesUnited States
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.
	Texas portal This article is supported by WikiProject Texas (assessed as Low-importance).

Text and/or other creative content from this version of Draft:Bruce Lehrmann was copied or moved into Bruce Lehrmann with this edit. The former page's history now serves to provide attribution for that content in the latter page, and it must not be deleted as long as the latter page exists.

Section sizes

Section size for Bruce Lehrmann (11 sections)
Section name	Byte count	Section total
(Top)	1,871	1,871
Early life	2,749	2,749
Parliament House rape allegations	17,972	44,743
ACT criminal trial	14,265	26,771
ACT trial inquiry	12,506	12,506
Defamation trial	9,323	14,109
Costs	3,194	3,194
Appeal	1,592	1,592
Queensland criminal trial	2,464	2,464
Media appearances	4,512	4,512
References	246	246
Total	70,694	70,694

Quoting Justice Lee in the lead paragraph

I assert that the sentence I deleted here, which was restored by Trauts123, is redundant and should be removed. Specifically:

As stated by Justice Lee 'Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins,' is unnecessary - we've already stated that Lehrmann raped a colleague, so we don't need to quote Justice Lee. If Higgins' name is necessary in the lead paragraph (and I don't think it is) then add it naturally to the lead sentence: Lehrmann ... was found to have raped a colleague, Brittany Higgins, .... If Lee's name is relevant (and I don't think it is) it should be in the body text, not the lead paragraph.
Lee's comment that Having escaped the lion's den, Mr Lehrmann made the mistake of coming back for his hat is completely irrelevant anywhere in the article, contrary to the spirit of MOS:IDIOM and Wikipedia:Quotations#General guidelines "Quotations that present rhetorical language ... be very careful".

Other editors' comments are invited. Mitch Ames (talk) 08:05, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

If Lee's name is relevant ... it should be in the body text — I've rewritten a paragraph in the body text and included Lee's name. Mitch Ames (talk) 08:56, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Agree, doesn't seem to be any need to put either of these statements in the lead, or include the second quote at all. The "cause célèbre" quote probably deserves to moved to Legal issues as well. However, including Higgins in the lead sentence to qualify who the colleague is makes sense to me. AbsoluteWissen (talk) 08:14, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I think the fact that Lehrmann's legal issues have become an Australian cause celebre is a -key- aspect of the subject that ought to be communicated to the reader. Whilst a public document, Lee's judgement is a secondary source for the proposition that Lehrmann's case is a cause celebre. For that reason, I think its usage and inclusion is warranted. Jack4576 (talk) 04:29, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Ah yes I agree it would be good to move them and the "cause célèbre" section to the legal section. My reasoning for adding the quotes was due to the "cause célèbre" section feeling like PR Control for Bruce Lehrmann by a supporter oh his. Trauts123 (talk) 08:23, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think that noting the case became an Australian 'cause célèbre' is something that puts Lehrmann in a good light. Jack4576 (talk) 04:30, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

@TarnishedPath: Please consider this talk page section when merging Draft:Bruce Lehrmann. Mitch Ames (talk) 09:48, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Per MOS:LEADBIO I was planning on moving that second paragraph in the current lede down to the body. I think can talk about everything else after that. It's enough work performing a merge as is without getting into a tonne of editing. TarnishedPath^talk 10:45, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The main problem with the Justice Lee quote (which I've placed in the Bruce_Lehrmann#Defamation_trial section), is that at present it violates WP:BLPPRIMARY because the source used is court transcripts. If we're going to keep, and I think we ought to because it's a pearler of a quote (people are already making tee-shirts out of it, see here for an example) then we'll need a secondary source. TarnishedPath^talk 11:08, 17 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The sentence has moved out of the lead now, but I still don't think we need to say in the article:

Justice Lee said 'Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins'.

It's unnecessary. We've already said in Wikipedia's voice as part of an earlier sentence (with bold here for my emphasis):

Justice Michael Lee of the Federal Court ruled that, on the balance of probabilities, Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins ...^[1]

^ Toomey, J. "Federal Court judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins, defamation case fails". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024. 'Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins,' Justice Lee said.

so all we need to do is include the quote in the citation (in bold above) if it is that important. Mitch Ames (talk) 14:00, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Likewise the "lion's den" quote has moved but I still think it is irrelevant. If it is to be kept because it's on a T-shirt, then:

We need a reliable secondary source saying that it has become a "meme" (for want of a better word)
It should be quoted closer to "omnishambles", per the tee-shirt (subject to RS)

Mitch Ames (talk) 14:06, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I originally raised this issue under the previous Draft talk (now gone). I have a big issue with simply saying "rape" in the article without a clear and explicit reference to the "balance of probabilities" in the opening paragraphs. In particular, I don't agree with using "found at fact" because that refers to two standards of evidence ("beyond reasonable doubt" and "balance of probabilities") then forces the reader to look into "civil trials" to see the standard of evidence (the balance of probabilities is buried in the article later on). As of right now, the article appears to be written (particularly in the first 3 paragraphs) to deliberately obscure that it was based on the balance of probabilities and not "beyond reasonable doubt".Mag1cal (talk) 14:16, 21 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The Balance of probability dies not mean he actually raped her.

Please use allegedly raped 163.53.145.23 (talk) 08:40, 12 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

If you had any thoughts of swaying consensus, you lowered your chances when you engaged in vandalism at Special:Diff/1239900034. TarnishedPath^talk 10:03, 12 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Primary/Secondary sources

Australian news publications are secondary sources
Judicial judgements are also secondary sources for some propositions, and primary for others. The judgement is a primary source for the finding that Lehmann is a rapist. However, in my editorial view this is an instance of WP:PRIMARYNOTBAD. It is okay to rely on the judgement for the proposition that he was found to have raped Higgins. Jack4576 (talk) 00:01, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
@Jack4576, the pertinent policy here is WP:BLPPRIMARY which states "Do not use trial transcripts and other court records, or other public documents, to support assertions about a living person". The emphasis on not is not mine, that is deliberately in the policy. TarnishedPath^talk 02:14, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
IAR, a judgement is fair use for the proposition that a finding has been made about someone IMO. Judgements are neither trial transcripts or mere ordinary 'court records'. I accept that they are a type of 'public document' but they are a special kind of public document. In many respects judgements are secondary documents, not primary documents, which is an important consideration.

The reliance on the judgement in this article is only for the simple and incontrovertible proposition that a finding was made against Lehrmann. I think so long as it is relied upon only in that limited manner, its use is fine. Let's not get so caught up in WP policy such that we can't use obvious documents for obvious propositions. IAR IAR IAR.Jack4576 (talk) 03:10, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I really don't think IAR extends to doing things for which there is specific guidance not to. A more important consideration is do we need to? Surely there are other secondary sources locatable which support the material. It's not like this is obscure subject matter. This is literally plastered all over the news at the moment and will be for a while. There's plenty of reporting and analysis. TarnishedPath^talk 05:08, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
IAR applies to the entire site. Where a rule results in an absurdity, (personally I think its absurd not to rely on the judicial decision for the mere and limited proposition of its result), IAR applies. Jack4576 (talk) 05:11, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
@Jack4576, I restored the quote without needing to rely on the judgment. So your argument wasn't necessary. We don't need to pull out IAR when we haven't tried to find secondary sources that can meet the same needs. TarnishedPath^talk 05:29, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
IMO it was fine to rely on either source for the proposition. IAR isn't only a last resort; it applies generally any time an interpretation of a rule would be absurd. Jack4576 (talk) 05:33, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Per WP:IAR "If a rule prevents you from improving or maintaining Wikipedia, ignore it". In this situation, it simply wasn't the case that the rule was preventing us from improving the article because I was quite easily able to find a secondary source that had the quote in it by performing a google search on the full quote. It literally took me seconds to perform the search. TarnishedPath^talk 05:39, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I think the article would be improved by also including the judgement as an additional source. Jack4576 (talk) 06:06, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Is it worth the grief considering we have a good enough source to support the material and it's been reverted by other editors? TarnishedPath^talk 06:09, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Probably not, but I maintain my view that slavish adherence to policy in this instance makes the article worse. Jack4576 (talk) 22:01, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
I have again removed the BLPPRIMARY source from the lead of the article. It shouldn't be there as references aren't needed in the lead, it shouldn't be there as other non-primary sources cover the details in the body of the article, and it shouldn't be there per BLPPRIMARY.
IAR doesn't say you can just ignore the rules, it says you can ignore the rules if it improves the encyclopedia. -- LCU ActivelyDisinterested «@» °∆t° 11:51, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
@ActivelyDisinterested agreed. @Jack4576 if you think you have a policy point can seek outside guidance at WP:BLP/N because you have at least two editors here disagreeing with you. TarnishedPath^talk 12:06, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
If other editors disagree about this particular application of IAR, I’ll follow the consensus.

I note with some amusement the habit of a few editors attempting to qualify a rule titled “ignore all rules” with additional rules. It’s not a rule conducive to qualification. Jack4576 (talk) 22:00, 18 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
WP:IAR If a rule prevents you from improving or maintaining Wikipedia, ignore it. It seems far to many miss the import middle part of that sentence, it hasn't changed in over 15 years. -- LCU ActivelyDisinterested «@» °∆t° 13:54, 19 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Errr.... Yea.... precisely.... Jack4576 (talk) 18:39, 20 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

When I was a journalist with Associated Press in Franfurt/M we would have regarded a court transcript an impeccable source, i.e. a court transcript that is not challenged. Wouldn't wikipedia look odd if that was not included? A.Hauptmann ~ 2001:8003:A070:7F00:F8A2:AF61:17B3:75FD (talk) 05:34, 21 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Have a read of Wikipedia talk:Biographies of living persons/Archive 58#Published judicial documents. TarnishedPath^talk 07:09, 21 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

[ABC_2024-04-15_2-1] Toomey, J. "Federal Court judge finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins, defamation case fails". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024. 'Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins,' Justice Lee said.

[1]