Murder Trial…

Welcome to Week 17 of the court visit breakdown!

Here is your backstory:

  • This was a part heard trial in the Crown Court

  • The defendants are charged with murder

  • The offence happened in 2019

This week I sat in Crown Court 1 public gallery and observed my first murder trial. As the case was part heard, I had some catching up to do of the facts of the case.

The trial began with a witness giving evidence through live link, from Australia. In this case it appeared that to ensure efficiency in the trial, the witness was able to give evidence through live link. However, sometimes a witness can give evidence through live link as a form of special measure.

Special measures are put in place to ensure vulnerable or intimidated witnesses are able to give their best evidence in court. Examples of special measures that are used could be giving evidence through live link, putting up screens to block the defendant from being seen by the witness, or having a pre-recorded interview.

The prosecution began by questioning the witness on what they had seen the night of the incident. The witness explained that he himself had been drinking, however, was still very much in control, and it was 3.50 AM when he saw the incident occur.

He explained that there was a fight that had broken out. There were 2 people beating up 1 person and about 5 other people standing around watching. The witness gradually got closer to the incident, where he then witnessed the 2 defendants running away past him laughing.

He explained how he went over to the victim, alongside the help of a security guard, he called an ambulance and the police, while the victim lay unconscious.

Although, I was only able to observe very briefly on this day, it was interesting to see how the witnesses are able to give evidence through live link from anywhere in the world. Particularly observing the techniques that the barristers use such as slowing down their speech or asking very direct, simple questions, in order to have the same impact on the jury that they would have if the witness was giving evidence in court.

See you next week!