I respectfully disagree. Barring an explicit confession by Dr. Baltar, it is extremely likely that any assertions on this matter would be based almost entirely on circumstantial evidence. I question the wisdom of the prosecution’s becoming distracted by an unprovable issue, and more significantly its risking the dilution of the stronger elements of its case by the inclusion of inflammatory but ultimately unsupportable charges. Best stick to what can be concretely demonstrated, as by Dr. Baltar’s signatures on various odious dictates issued by the occupation government, or what can be confirmed by firsthand eyewitness testimony, as by the blond Cylon known as Six, who, clothed or not, can no doubt offer valuable insights into Dr. Baltar’s behavior on pre-invasion Caprica.
My apologies, commissioner Smapti. In post #12, I was merely responding to the calls to have the defendant airlocked. I’m not out to defend the man, but am simply pointing out enough reasonable doubt to his guilt exists that he should at least be given a fair trail. As for how to go about doing that…I’m still unsure.
To address a few points raised throughout the thread…
The Cylon fleet has a history of being able to locate and follow the Colonial fleet. Their finding the Eye of Jupiter proves nothing other than that they retain that ability.
This could raise problems since the colonies themselves have (had) different laws and different thoughts as to what bar admission should contain. Virgon attorneys could not properly navigate the Caprican legal system. Indeed, Sagitaron law brings people to justice mostly on the words of oracles and what we’d consider preventable deaths by disease. I think we’d have to use legal precedents that were set on New Caprica. Whatever was presented as far as jury selection would need to be approved by the Quorum of Twelve, and the defense would be allowed to deny potential prejudiced jurors.
If the honored commisioner Declan wishes to revisit the destruction of Cloud Nine and the detonation of a nuclear warhead that was formerly in the Doctor’s possesion, we can re-open the investigation, but to charge Dr. Baltar of a crime at this point would be wildly premature. There is no evidence that anything other than what was thought to have happened, actually happened. The weapon was stolen by a Cylon agent and detonated above New Caprica as a beacon to the Cylon fleet.
As far as I know, the Rising Star is still with us, so it would be even more wildly premature to charge Dr. Baltar of being complicit with it’s destruction. 
So…What crimes are we bringing against Dr. Baltar here? It would appear that they are Treason and Sedition. As far as the signed death orders or the conditions in the New Capican detention center, his role in those acts should be investigated. Rather than charges of prisoner abuse or conspiracy to commit murder, perhaps the broader charge of “Crimes against humanity” would be more appropriate.
Cylons who are providing testimony should remain clothed, but in the case of Caprica Six she should probably wear a red dress of some kind. I don’t sense a legal precedent for this, it’s just a hunch.
On the side matter in question. Did Mr. Excellent commit any crimes by mentioning Baltar’s trail in the thread title? I am of the opinion that he did not. If you are sensitive to spoilers for a show that you are simply waiting to come out on dvd, then you are taking certain risks. If you hear us talking about the show around the water cooler while you’re coming to get a drink of water, it’s not our fault. I happen to like a descriptive thread title, and feel that this one has encouraged a lively discussion. It’s not as if the thread title siad…
Let’s discuss Kat’s death
or…
Let’s discuss STARBUCK’s death
or even…
Holy Frak! Are you looking for spoilers or what???
So I think Mr. Excellent is off the hook, although it was nice of him to offer an apology.
On preview:
What evidence exists to link Dr. Baltar to the Cylon model Six before the destruction of the 12 colonies?
Eye-witness account(s) place the two together on Caprica prior.
Any charges brought here would be brought under Colonial law–roughly analogous to US Federal law–thus any attorney admitted to practice before Colonial courts (as opposed to planetary/“state” courts) would qualify.
While the nature of any interactions that may have occured between the defendant and any of the Six Cylons prior to the attack on the Colonies is purely conjectural at this time, it is undeniable that various Sixes have shown a peculiar interest in Dr. Baltar for some time. The Six Cylon calling itself “Shelly Godfrey” accused Baltar of complicity in the attack no less than three weeks after the initial flight from the Colonies. The “Gina” Six was reportedly in a catatonic state aboard Battlestar Pegasus for several weeks before Baltar began questioning it. The nature of the relationship between Baltar and the “Caprica” Six has been well documented by members of his staff during the occupation. (It may be worth the prosecution’s while to attempt to learn why this particular Six is known by that name.) In any event, the Cylon will certainly have some insight into Baltar’s state of mind.
In regards to Commissioner Polley’s recent remarks - while it has been noted that the Cylon fleet has successfully tracked the Colonial fleet at times in the past, it must be kept in mind that they knew at the time of their arrival that the Eye of Jupiter was on the planet, as evidenced by their attempt to negotiate with the administration for control over it. If Baltar did not provide them with this information, then the security implications for the fleet are chilling to say the least.
I’m not quite sure I know what this “US” is that you speak of, Commissioner. Might I ask that you refrain from kamala extract during the proceedings?
In addition to the excellent summary offered by the honorable Smapti, we have before us the assertion of President Roslin that there is further information connecting Dr. Baltar to the Six model, the specifics and provenance of which must remain unrevealed as a matter of Colonial security. It was, after all, Roslin herself who persuaded the Six model to freely offer her testimony during the upcoming proceeding. While we are not privy to the details of their conversation, I believe it is reasonable to conclude that, whatever it was they discussed, Roslin’s ability to prevail upon the Cylon speaks to as yet undisclosed but highly material knowledge regarding these matters.
I think it was originally my point, but whichever. The thread title still hasn’t been changed.
And it’s probably not gonna change, as there is no board rule requiring non-spoiler titles. There was some discussion about starting one, but I have not seen any announcement.
Of course, the appropriate thing to do would have been to complain to a mod via email/pm and not hijack the thread yet again.
While the President may or may not shed light upon this area of debate, and Commisioner Smapti raises valid points, I ask what crime is the Doctor being accused of in regards to his pre-attack life? Surely even if it were proven that a Cylon agent somehow gained access to say…for example, the defense mainframe by using Baltar and his connections as a man of science, isn’t his guilt limited to being duped by a Cylon that no one, at the time, could have even guessed was a Cylon? Are we saying that the President has knowledge of Doctor Baltar conspiring with a Six model with the desire to destroy life on the colonies. I fear I can’t find a motivation for Baltar’s self-destructive actions if that were the case.
I submit that there is much more information to be learned from the model Six we have in captivity. She should be questioned in a more thorough manner by more capable personel before proceding with this line of inquery, and indeed, before the Doctor’s trail even begins.
Oh! Oh! Me! Pick me! I’ll give her a questioning like she’s never had before!
That is what the court here is to decide… were his alleged interactions with a cylon agent those of a traitor, or those of a horny geek?
Hey, we’re gonna space him either way…
Dunno about that. I think it makes a better story if he’s found not guilty, or at least not sentenced to death. We already know Lee is gonna go all Atticus Finch about it…
Then again, we do not know that a trial will be held at all. There may be another “unauthorized discharge of a weapon” incident, he could escape, or he could die of ass cancer in the next episode…
Hell, we should space him, too. That ain’t like an IT guy taking RAM home.
Let me rephrase that. We should space him anyway. Even if he’s dead. We can vacumn up the remains and do it again. Two, three times.
Duped or not, the defendant willingly and knowingly provided access to the defense mainframe to an unauthorized user, repeatedly and over a prolonged period. This is a serious crime of espionage, regardless of intent. Colonial law probably classifies it as treason (based on Baltar’s explicitly expressed expectation in the mini-series that he would be killed if his actions were discovered).
Is there a shred of proof to substansiate this? I agree that what is being accused is quite serious, but for all we (the people of the Twelve Colonies) know, the cylon known as Six gained access to sensitive materials by hacking into Dr. Baltar’s computers, without his knowledge. Surley it’s been proven that the Cylons are capable of easily bypassing even the most heavily fortified of our computer firewalls.
Hasn’t it already been proven that the accuations of “Shelly Godfrey” regarding Baltar’s alleged participation in the attack on the Twelve Colonies were driven with falsified evidence? Hasn’t his name already been cleared on this count?
If there evidence that Dr. Baltar committed a crime on pre-attack Caprica, I ask my fellow commisioners to present it. It is my opinion that the Doctor’s upcoming trail should focus soley on the crimes that he allegedly participated in while on New Caprica, and the events that have transpired since.
His interactions with a cylon agent, with or without knowledge that said agent was at that time a cylon, on a pre-war caprica, speak directly to his potential motives on new caprica for surrendering and aiding the cylons on new caprica.
I would propose that while we may not aggressivly pursue charges with regaurd to his pre-war activities, they are, in fact, evidence to his post war activities, for which we are charged with determining charges.