Craig Kapitan: NZ Herald court reporter on Golriz Ghahraman's court decision getting reserved

Former Green MP Golriz Ghahraman will find out her fate on Thursday.

Judge June Jelas has reserved a sentencing decision on shoplifting charges in court today.

The Judge has confirmed she won't be imprisoned.

NZ Herald court reporter Craig Kapitan says Ghahraman's defence says she was going through a mental health crisis.

"A mental health report suggests that she suffered complex PTSD, which was a result of her earlier life in Iran and 'public vitriol, threats and abuse' that dominated her time in Parliament."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here the duplessy la.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
The judge at former Green Emp Goalers garment sentencing hearing
has reserved her decision. Now Garman pled guilty to shoplifting
almost nine thousand dollars worth of clothing from several high
end retailers. The judge did say at the outset of
the hearing that she wouldn't be given garment in any
prison time. Harold reporter Craig Capitan wasn't called high Craig.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
Hi, how are you very well?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you? So why has the judge reserved the decision?

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Well, I think there are a lot of eyes watching this,
probably a lot more than a normal best case, so
it makes sense that she'd want to make sure she
doesn't make any mistakes. She's going to write it all
down and release the whole decision in writing on Thursday.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
The defense wants a discharge without conviction.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Why well, they say, obviously she was going through a
mental health crisis. Basically, who in the right mind would
risk of their career for something like this. They produced
a mental health report suggesting that she suffered complex PTSD
which as a result of her early life in Iran,
and that quote public viitual threats and abuse that dominated

(01:05):
her time in parliament. They even pointed out that at
one point her security detail was as intense as for
the Prime Minister because of the threats she was receiving.
So so they said, this is all linked to her
mental health and as such she should be given the
little leeway. Yeah, Crown doesn't.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Sound like Crown doesn't sound like it's buying that argument
at all, does it.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
No, they are. Yeah, they said that the link between
mental health and the depth was spurious at best. They
pointed out that yes, she did have mental health issues,
that's that's much as known, but there was a premeditated
nature to the offending. It was three stores on four occasions,

(01:56):
and the most obvious explanation might just be that she's
simply one of the items. As a former lawyer, she
should have known better. And this basically a discharge without
conviction wouldn't necessarily mean that she could practice again. So
what's the point. You could tell they were taking it
seriously because Consolicitor Elisha McClintock was there. She's the highest

(02:18):
ranking prosecutor in Central Auckland in north in the North Shore.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
So she wants to practice as a lawyer again, does she.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
It certainly sounds that way. I mean, and if you
think about it, what else is there She's she's not
going to be a politician again, it seems, unless she
has a remarkable comeback. So she has this law degree.
She hasn't been allowed to practice law while she's in parliament.
That's just a standard rule. But now she has to
start thinking about what she does with her life from here,

(02:47):
and obviously using that law degree, either for crimo defense
work again or for human rights law would make sense
if she was allowed to.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Craig, thank you very much, appreciate it. Mite. That's Craig
Captain the herold Forporter who is in court today. For
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