Latest news with #fairtrial
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
Judge lifts sweeping gag order in Idaho murders case after Bryan Kohberger pleads guilty
An Idaho judge lifted a sweeping gag order in Bryan Kohberger's quadruple murder case on Thursday. Bryan Kohberger avoided a potential death sentence by pleading guilty earlier this month to the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students at a rental home near campus in 2022. A coalition of news organizations, including CBS News and The Associated Press, had asked the court to lift the gag order since a trial is no longer planned. They renewed their request after Kohberger pleaded guilty. During a 14-minute hearing Thursday morning, 4th District Judge Steven Hippler agreed that lifting the gag order would protect the First Amendment rights of the public and press. "The primary purpose of the non-dissemination order, which is to ensure that we can seat an impartial jury, is no longer at play," Hippler said. He said he couldn't justify continuing the gag order because the public has the right to receive information about the case, and those rights are "paramount." Kohberger's defense team did not speak much during the hearing, but noted the high publicity of the case and said that lifting the non-dissemination order would be "adding fuel to the fire" ahead of Kohberger's sentencing proceedings. Kohberger is set to be sentenced on July 23. A different judge in Moscow, Idaho, originally issued the gag order early in the case, saying additional publicity could harm Kohberger's right to a fair trial. The press also filed a motion this week to unseal documents in the case. Hippler denied this motion, calling it premature. He said that after sentencing, he plans to review sealed material in the case to determine what can be unsealed. The process may take some time, Hippler warned. Lawyers for Kohberger and the state will be able to object to unsealing anything and can request retractions. "I'm unlikely to unseal much until after sentencing and after the appeals period has run," Hippler said. Kohberger waived his right to appeal as part of the plea deal, but he and his counsel can still appeal the case, Hippler said. Kohberger admitted to breaking into the rental home through a sliding door and killing the four friends, who had no connection with him. Prosecutors said he spent months carefully planning the attack, and that his studies as a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University helped him take steps to cover up his tracks. Amanda Arden contributed to this report.
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Tunisia: United Nations (UN) experts alarmed by deteriorating human rights situation of lawyers
UN experts* today expressed alarm at the situation of lawyers in Tunisia, noting a serious deterioration in the last year. 'Targeting legal professionals solely for performing their role in the justice system or exercising their freedom of expression poses a direct threat to the integrity and fairness of legal proceedings in Tunisia and could jeopardise the right to a fair trial,' the experts said. The experts noted that lawyer Ahmed Souab was arrested on 21 April 2025, following critical comments made publicly about the recent trial of several opposition figures. Souab was defending some of the clients who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for charges characterised as 'conspiracy against State security'. Lawyer Sonia Dahmani was reportedly violently detained at the premises of the Tunisian Bar Association by masked men in May 2024 and is facing five criminal cases all initiated under Decree-Law 2022-54 on 'cybercrime' before the Tunis First Instance Court solely for stating her opinion publicly. Dahmani was sentenced in January 2025 to 18 months in prison for her comments in a TV show, and this June, she received an additional two-year prison sentence. The experts also deplored other reported cases of legal professionals in the country who have been criminally accused, and even sentenced to long prison terms, solely for defending their clients and for expressing their opinion publicly such as Dalila Msaddak, Islem Hamza, Ayachi Hamami, Ghazi Chaouachi, Mehdi Zagrouba, and Lazhar Akremi. 'The measures taken directly interfere with the independence of the legal profession, undermining the ability of lawyers to represent their clients,' the experts said. 'They appear designed to ensure critics of the Executive are silenced.' The experts stressed that free exercise of the legal profession contributes to ensuring access to justice, oversight of State power, protection of due process and fair trial rights. 'We call on Tunisia to comply with international standards providing that lawyers should be able to carry out all their professional duties without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference. They should not face prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognised professional duties, standards and ethics,' they said. 'Like all human beings, lawyers are entitled to freedom of expression and opinion.' The experts have been in contact with the Government of Tunisia regarding their concerns. *The experts: Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression and opinion. The Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council's independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organisation and serve in their individual capacity. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Free Malaysia Today
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Calls for probe into judicial interference claims in alleged JAC minutes
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin called for corrective action if the allegations are proven true, while Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said the prime minister must exercise extreme caution in advising the king on upcoming judicial appointments. PETALING JAYA : Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and former deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh have separately called for an investigation into allegations of abuse of power and judicial interference, following the alleged leak of minutes from a Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) meeting. In a Facebook post, Muhyiddin said that if the allegations were true, they could compromise a person's fundamental right to a fair trial. 'These claims must be thoroughly investigated, and corrective action must be taken to ensure that judicial appointments are made with integrity, so that public confidence in the judiciary as a pillar of justice remains intact,' the Perikatan Nasional chairman said. A document allegedly containing excerpts from a JAC meeting held in May went viral on social media last weekend, raising concerns from various parties. The extract of the purported minutes said that the former chief justice had raised concerns about the integrity of a candidate for an administrative post in the judiciary. Claims were made that the judge in question had once attempted to influence the outcome of a case in favour of a specific party, and had sought the transfer of a fellow judge for holding a differing view. Muhyiddin said that if these claims were true, the appointment of the judge would violate Section 23(2)(a) of the JAC Act 2009 on judicial integrity. He said concern would grow if a judge with unresolved integrity issues was promoted to a higher position in the judiciary. Police have launched an investigation into the alleged leak of the JAC meeting minutes under the Official Secrets Act and two other laws. 'Extreme caution' in next judicial appointments Meanwhile, Ramkarpal said that the prime minister should exercise extreme caution in advising the king on upcoming judicial appointments, given the gravity of the allegations in the purported minutes. He also said that the judge named in the minutes should not be considered for any top posts unless cleared of wrongdoing by a full investigation. 'If the said judge is found to have committed wrongdoing as a result of such investigations, his or her integrity would be seriously in doubt,' the Bukit Gelugor MP said in a statement. 'The position demands a thorough and transparent investigation, and anything less can result in a serious loss of confidence in the Madani government, which should be avoided,' he said.
Fox News
10-07-2025
- Fox News
Idaho judge urged to remove gag order on Kohberger case following quadruple murder plea
A group of media outlets large and small has asked an Idaho judge to lift the gag order surrounding the Bryan Kohberger case, now that he has pleaded guilty and there is no investigation to protect. At a change of plea hearing last week, prosecutors asked to have the gag, officially called a "non-dissemination order," remain in place until Kohberger's official sentencing on July 23. Kohberger's defense did not object, and Judge Steven Hippler granted the request. Then-Magistrate Judge Megan Marshall put the gag order in place days after Kohberger's arrest at his parents' house on Dec. 30, 2022. The stated aim was to protect Kohberger's right to a fair trial by limiting extrajudicial information available to the potential jury pool. Much of the case proceeded behind closed doors until Hippler became the third judge to preside over the case following a change of venue that moved it from Latah County to Ada County. Still, there are many questions that remain unanswered, and under the order, lawyers, investigators and other witnesses have been blocked from discussing details that haven't already surfaced in the courtroom. And the terms of the plea deal did not require Kohberger to explain his actions. Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson hasn't held a news briefing since before Kohberger's extradition to Idaho in January 2023. The defense never has. But now that Kohberger has admitted to the murders, there is no risk to his right to a fair trial, according to the motion. There won't be a trial at all. "The Nondissemination Order, and its infringement on the First Amendment rights of the media, is no longer justifiable and should be vacated immediately," the motion continues. The media coalition includes FOX News, The Associated Press, other major outlets and a number of smaller Idaho publications – including The Argonaut, the student paper at the University of Idaho, where the victims were killed. Kohberger last week admitted to four first-degree murders – killing University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. He told the court, with his parents looking on, that he entered their house, which has since been demolished, around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, with the intent to kill. The guilty plea will spare him from the potential death penalty. He is expected to receive four consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus another 10 years. And he forfeited his right to appeal and to seek a sentence reduction.
Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Times letters: Junking juries and the pursuit of swift justice
Write to letters@ Sir, I agree with Frances Gibb ('Don't assume that junking juries will speed up justice', comment, Jul 7) and unless strong and immediate opposition is mounted to resist any further attempts to dilute trial by jury, in my opinion it can only be a matter of time before it is abolished altogether. Chronic under-funding is not solved by creating a parallel system with inadequate resources, human and financial, as well as fewer safeguards against miscarriages of justice. Trial by jury is slower and more expensive than trial by judge and magistrates, but we should cherish and protect a system that puts the right to a fair trial by an impartial tribunal — the jury — before anything else. Ronald Thwaites KC Esher, Surrey Sir, I prosecuted many fraud cases during my career at the Bar ('Fraud suspects 'will lose their right to jury trial' ', news, Jul 5). The essential question in all of these cases was the same: namely, was the defendant behaving honestly or not. That is classically a question for a jury to use their varied worldly knowledge and experience to determine and my experience was that they did so very well. Of course, they were always directed that they must be sure of guilt to convict and must acquit in cases of reasonable doubt, which sometimes produced acquittals in cases where a single judge (or I) would probably have convicted. Cost and delay are, no doubt, concerns, but I would be very reluctant to make fundamental changes to a system which has served the interests of justice so well for so many years. Lawrence Griffiths Prosecuting counsel to HM Inland Revenue, 1969-93; standing counsel to HM Customs and Excise, 1989-93 Sir, The indication that specialist judges might in future preside over fraud trials represents common sense, not simply a means of reducing the huge backlog of cases. Some years ago I followed closely a particular trial at Southwark crown court. The first day was mostly taken up with the selection of a jury for a trial expected to last for at least two months. The judge heard pleas from potential jurors who had holidays booked and various medical appointments to attend, but the day was crowned by one candidate who stood up and said she simply could not concentrate for that amount of time. She was excused. When the trial began, there were long explanations about how a profit and loss account is compiled, accrual accounting and revenue recognition in a technology business. It became obvious to those of us in the visitors' gallery that three or four of the jurors had little idea of what was going on. Sure enough, many weeks later the jury failed to reach a verdict and the trial collapsed. Several years later I met someone at the Financial Conduct Authority, who explained that this had been one of the simpler cases and it could not contemplate taking many of the more complex ones to court. John White Petworth, W Sussex Sir, I have had more than 50 years' practice in the criminal courts (both prosecuting and defending, and also as a judge). I think it is quite wrong for any one person to be able to decide on guilt or innocence followed by a potentially long sentence of imprisonment and criminal bankruptcy. Most English judges are fair, but some are notorious for their prejudice in favour of the prosecution. The jury system is essential to protect the public against oppressive judges, police officers or even governments. As that great judge Lord Devlin wrote: It is the lamp that shows that freedom lives. Robert Rhodes KC London WC2 Sir, I am sure that Lord Evans of Weardale is doing his very best within the confines of whatever guidelines and time he has been given to find a new Archbishop of Canterbury (news, Jul 5, and letter, Jul 7), but the committee he chairs seems to have arrived at a situation where they have decided not to decide what to decide until they have decided what to do. I had a discussion a month ago with a senior churchman and suggested that six months is a long time to leave the Church of England leaderless and rudderless, and we should copy the example of the Catholic Church, who found their new Pope in less than three weeks. The CofE should set up a conclave of bishops. The conduct of it should be the same, with the bishops out of contact with the outside world until they reach a decision. It was suggested that I should write to the King, as head of the Church, to make that proposal. I have not yet done that but I am sure that he reads The Times. Alastair Stewart Nunnington, N Yorks Sir, Why does the letter from former ambassadors ('Recognise Palestine', Jul 7) fail to mention Hamas, the October 7 attacks that started this latest conflict or the hostages that were kidnapped and are still being held, but instead heaps all the blame on Israel, when the biggest barrier to peace in the Middle East has always been the threats its enemies pose to Israel's security? I too want to see a Palestinian state and have campaigned for that for decades, but the 'unconditional' recognition the letter calls for would mean doing so before any negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on security, borders, Jerusalem or the status of settlements and would, of course, leave Hamas in place, something to which Israel can obviously not agree. Lord Austin of Dudley House of Lords Sir, It is telling that the letter signed by some two dozen former ambassadors does not include one who formerly served as an ambassador to Israel. They would understand the impractical and unhelpful nature of this suggestion and presumably refused to sign. Lord Leigh of Hurley House of Lords Sir, It is clear that, with the burgeoning numbers, there needs to be a redefinition of children's learning difficulties and disabilities ('PM facing fresh revolt over special needs help', news, Jul 7). We first need to recognise that most conditions are on a continuum; yet there is an increasing tendency to attribute a fixed label to those conditions, whatever the degree, and often after constant pressure from importunate parents. Moderate needs can and should be addressed within mainstream schools, with more specialist teachers and earlier intervention, as Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, states. Those on the severe end of the spectrum only should require a special school. The current route to this is through an EHCP (education, health and care plan). This is a lengthy and costly process for local authorities who, understandably, wish to avoid parents taking them to tribunals. Phillipson is looking into ways of reforming the unwieldy system of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support. We must hope that she will not be impeded by the Labour backbench brigade. Susan Bickley Ret'd teacher; Huntingdon, Cambs Sir, Before the EHCP was introduced in 2014, the school where I taught had a thriving special needs department with teaching assistants who could work with teachers on lesson material and assist a wide number of students with various needs. The department was decimated by the change in funding, leaving certain students with full-time help but all others with none. The year I retired, in 2019, the school even lost its nurture teacher due to a lack of funding. Meanwhile, the school was paying for a 'super head' and accountants at vast expense due to the switch to becoming an academy trust. Much needs reform, not only special needs help, but parents are not going to want to lose the support for their child. The government is in an impossible position until everyone accepts the reality of what we all face and that no system is ever perfect. Amanda Walker Ret'd teacher; Walkington, East Riding Sir, Your correspondents (letters, Jul 7) focused on the impact of AI on older children and young adults. As a preparatory school headmaster (now retired 12 years), I was often asked what was my school's academic focus in the primary years. I used to say with conviction that a core aim was to equip our pupils with the academic skills that would sustain them for life if they did not have access to computers and calculators 'if the lights went out': the four rules of number; times tables; percentages; a love of reading; accurate spelling; and cursive handwriting — the last enabling them to write from the heart a love letter or a letter of condolence. Nicholas Allen Chairman, Independent Association of Preparatory Schools, 2012-13; Ipswich Sir, Specialists value hospital resources (letter, Jul 7), but in the first instance the public crave prompt access to a medical opinion, with onward referral only if necessary. A 'neighbourhood health service' and enhanced technology (the NHS app and AI especially) could facilitate this and also free up hospitals to concentrate on delivering high-class tertiary care. Many community hospitals have closed and 'Darzi centres', modelled on Continental polyclinics, were never fully implemented. Let's give Wes Streeting the chance to restore quick, effective local primary healthcare. Tim Williams Ret'd consultant surgeon; Waldron, E Sussex Sir, Matthew Parris (comment, Jul 7) refers to economics as a dismal science. Dismal, yes. Science, no. The Rev Dr JE Roulston Bonnyrigg, Midlothian Sir, Further to your leading article on village cricket (Jul 7), judges have considered similar issues in the past and agreed with your views. Perhaps one of the most memorable is Lord Denning's dissent in Miller v Jackson (1977) where he found that it was not a nuisance that cricket balls were occasionally hit on to the property neighbouring the Lintz cricket club in Co Durham. He may have got some things (dreadfully) wrong in the past, but he got this right, saying 'in summertime, village cricket is the delight of everyone' and arguing that the cricketers of Lintz should continue to play. Quite apart from all the personal benefits of playing the sport, cricket is quintessentially British; it should be allowed to thrive. Anthony Philips London, W11 Sir, Those complaining about the possibility of cricket balls hitting them or their property might consider the example of Sir William Worsley, who captained Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the 1920s. He gave a monetary reward to any batsman who broke his library window in Hovingham Hall, thus encouraging local talent. Complainants might also consider who was there first. Ann Gray Beverley, East Riding Sir, As a parent whose eldest son went to Eton and youngest to Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, I've attended my fair share of matches at both schools over the years ('Rugby parents told off for touchline opulence', world, Jul 7). While at Eton, the June 4 celebrations steadily evolved into picnics with unbelievable extravagance, more worthy of being at a grand opera, whereas picnics at Michaelhouse remained reassuringly rustic: a sausage out of a farmer's 4×4 possibly still sizzling from the veld. How things are changing! Louisa Woods Greens Norton, Northants Sir, My parents always claimed to have had three weddings ('To have and to hold two weddings', Jul 7). Living in Chile in the 1930s, the first was the civil wedding, the legal element; next came a church one, a few days before they sailed for Liverpool. While at sea, the captain performed their third. In the 1980s they celebrated their 50th anniversary — but only the once. Alison Rollin Ruislip, Middx Write to letters@
