Rail disaster trial spirals into chaos

Courtroom proceedings implicit Greece’s deadliest peacetime obstruction catastrophe person devolved into shouting matches, hallway confrontations and bitter recriminations, casting uncertainty connected whether justness will beryllium served for the 57 victims of the 2023 Tempe train collision.

The so-called “small trial” – a preliminary lawsuit involving missing surveillance footage from a freight train – was indefinitely postponed astatine a captious juncture, stunning victims’ families who had awaited machine grounds held by a determination authority.

Proceedings person drawn comparisons to chaotic provincial assembly meetings.

Defense lawyer and instrumentality prof Aristomenis Tzannetis told the presiding justice the trial was “moving similar a crab” – going nowhere.

The Association of Greek Prosecutors broke its silence, issuing a crisp statement targeting defence lawyer and absorption lawmaker Zoe Konstantopoulou, accusing her of exploiting parliamentary immunity to disrupt proceedings.

“Forcing a justice done violent and relentless harassment to withdraw from a lawsuit has not been observed adjacent successful legally ungoverned countries,” the relation stated.

The Bar Association’s soundlessness drew its ain criticism, with prosecutors calling it “deafeningly unacceptable.”

Most strikingly, some victims’ relatives are present speaking retired against the courtroom disorder.

Antonis Psaropoulos, a lawyer whose girl Martha died successful the crash, said: “We want to try a case, not record complaints. If the lawyers’ lone intent is accusatory, we relatives will ne'er larn the truth. I americium furious.Fellow bereaved genitor Nikos Plakias warned separately: “I will not let chaos successful immoderate trial where I americium present.”