Malta Independent
January 13, 2011
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=118514
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The constitutional case filed by the four priests, claiming a breach of their right to a fair hearing as a result of publicity to their case, started yesterday before Mr Justice Joseph R. Micallef.
The first sitting of the constitutional case will be heard on 2 February.
The application is against the Attorney General, the Police Commissioner, and the Court Registrar. Lawyers Sarah Vassallo and Noel Bartolo appeared for the Attorney General's office while Police Inspector Louise Calleja represented the Police Commissioner. Dr Patrick Valentino appeared parte civile.
In yesterday's sitting, defence lawyers Therese Commodini Cachia and Gianella Caruana Curran, informed Mr Justice Micallef that they intend to produce copies of all media coverage published about the case, or else the producers of all coverage and the initiator of any campaigns about the case to testify.
The pending case against the priests, is being heard behind closed doors at their request, in the Magistrate's Courts.
The two lawyers also requested access to the pending criminal case documents as well as documents which substantiates the priests' complaints against unfair coverage about the priests in the media.
The court ordered that evidence produced needs to be viewed by lawyers of both parties prior to the sittings.
A number of the alleged victims of the abuse, have shown their faces and made their names public during various press conferences held regarding the case, which attracted the media's attention worldwide. They also met Pope Benedict XVI during the papal visit to Malta last April.
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