Ghomeshi’s lawyer Marie Henein rejects suggestions she betrayed women

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This article was published 29/03/2016 (3512 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – Jian Ghomeshi’s lawyer says she was just doing her job in representing the former CBC radio star in a high-profile sexual assault case, and that she was thrilled with the result.

Marie Henein spoke with Peter Mansbridge on CBC’s The National on Tuesday night in her first interview since Ghomeshi was acquitted of sexual assault charges in Toronto last Thursday.

Henein said it was the right result, and rejected accusations that she betrayed women by defending Ghomeshi.

She said female judges are not traitors when they acquit in sexual assault cases, nor supporters of women when they convict. Henein says they are just doing their jobs and that’s what she does.

Ghomeshi had pleaded not guilty to assaults alleged to have happened against three women from 2002 to 2003. There were protests after his acquittal and accusations that it was the three women who made the complaints against him who were put on trial.

Henein would not discuss specifics of the case because there is a 30-day window in which an appeal could be filed.

“I think justice was served,” Henein said.

“I think it is pretty significant that in one of the highest profile cases, in one of the cases where everybody had an opinion … that you knew, that you could walk into court and that there would be an impartial person that would decide on the evidence that is heard.”