Internet Debate Grammar Challenge! [closed]

Question

"The case was reopened about a fortnight after it was dropped(,) by a chief prosecutor. Who had gone on record, saying there's no reason to suspect he'd committed rape."

Taken from an internet debate. Please ignore the actual debate itself, it's about JA. There is a dispute in the meaning of the statement.

If you were to read this, would you assume that it was

a) the chief prosecutor had reopened the case

b) the chief prosecutor had dropped the case.

Who would you think had gone on record to state there's no reason etc. The chief prosecutor or the other?

Does your answer change with/without the "," in brackets?

Answer 1

With the comma, I would read it as saying the chief prosecutor had reopened the case. I would infer nothing either way about whether it had been the same person who had closed it.

Without the comma, I would read it as saying the chief prosecutor had closed the case. I would read that as suggesting someone else had re-opened it, though that's on the basis that they're pointing out who closed it rather than any point of grammar.

The second sentence I would guess referred to the chief prosecutor, because who else could it be? There is no other person mentioned (though there is the possibility of another person in both cases).

I would not assume anything, since I don't assume journalism is accurate, even when it's grammatically clear, which this is not; neither form is clear in offering either reading, they just lean more toward one or the other.