Concerns over some media reports on evidence being presented in the trial into the March 2020 General and Regional Elections prompted a renewed discussion in court on Wednesday.
Coming out of that, presiding Magistrate Faith McGusty directed that reporting by media should be based only on what is said during proceedings.
Minutes after the trial resume on Wednesday morning, defence attorney Dexter Todd raised concerns about what he described as attempts by the media to draw conclusions from evidence being presented in the trial.
Todd said that while the hearing is being conducted in public, any deliberate attempt to sway the matter in a particular direction was unfair.
His concerns followed Tuesday’s proceedings, during which significant attention was placed on a passport application and signatures appearing on election-related documents. The signatures discussed in court were mainly associated with former Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield. Handwriting expert Ameer Mohamed also referred to a document believed to bear the signature of Carol Smith-Joseph on the March 13, 2020 declaration.
Todd’s concerns also came amid reports that prosecutor Latchmie Rahamat had been conducting interviews with the media after the conclusion of recent days of proceedings.
Rahamat, when she rose in court, said it appeared that statements made by the prosecution were sometimes being reported differently from what had actually been said.
Magistrate McGusty noted that the issue of media reporting had now been raised before the court on three occasions.
She reminded the parties that the court had previously taken a decision to allow the media full access to the proceedings. She noted that arrangements had even been made to facilitate journalists who were unable to attend physically by allowing them access through Zoom.
However, the Magistrate questioned whether those arrangements were achieving their intended purpose, describing the situation as appearing to be an “act in futility.”
McGusty said she was reconsidering the issue of media access and invited the defence and the wider public to provide their views on whether the existing arrangements should continue.
The Magistrate also acknowledged what she described as the defence’s restraint in engaging with the media during the trial.
She reiterated that journalists who are permitted to attend the hearing are entitled to report on what they observe and hear in court.
Following the discussion, the court directed that media reports should be based on what is said during the proceedings, rather than on post-hearing accounts of what transpired in court.
The Magistrate also cautioned the prosecution against engaging the media after proceedings, noting that the defence had refrained from doing so.
The trial is continuing, with several witnesses expected to complete their testimony and face cross-examination. Additional witnesses are also expected to appear before the court to give evidence.
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
