Day 5 - Proceedings

McCann v Gonçalo Amaral Libel Trial in Lisbon - Day 5

Lisbon - Friday 27 Sept 2013

The Judge appeared at 9:50. All lawyers were there, as well as the interpreter. Dra Isabel Duarte had a new assistant. But in the audience we were only two members of the public (Astro and I), all journalists were outside waiting for Mr McCann and Mrs Cameron. Among the journalists, Martin Brunt was back in Lisbon and back was his very British sense of humour. He is literally chained to his photographer, since he holds the perch ! When the crowd of photographers suddenly rushes in a certain direction, he can't but follow.
Back to court. Mr Amaral's lawyer made a request because his son was in the hospital (it seems the problem surged yesterday) to have a urgent surgery and the father was needed there. Dra Duarte said she made yesterday a request for the complainant G. McCann who is coming from the UK (she insisted twice on this) to be heard. This request has to be accepted by the lawyers of the defence within a few days. The Judge consulted a great amount of books and files when she was dictating to the court clerk. She found Dr Santos Oliveira's request justified and unforeseeable and stated that the adjournment had to be accepted.

The Judge then announced that the 27th witnesses would be heard on the 2nd of October (Henrique Machado (journalist of Correio da Manhã), Eduardo Dâmaso (political analyst) and Mrs Cameron).
From this I deduce that 1) Mrs Healy will not be heard and 2) Mrs Cameron is the last witness for the accusation, except for the bar association president, Marinho Pinto who eventually will be heard on the 19 of November.

The last session (exhibition of the documentary and final allegations) will now be on the 27th of November.
On the 8th of October will be heard only witnesses for the defence :
Inspectores Tavares de Almeida and Ricardo Paiva, Luis Nunes, the head of the Central unit against organized crime, Manuel Catarino, editorialist in the CdM (who seems specialised in juridical issues) and the journalist and writer Hernani Carvalho (who is doing a PhD on criminology)

On the 5th of October will be heard other witnesses for the defence :
Paulo Sargento, Moita Flores, two persons related to Guerra&Paz, etc.
On the 19 of Novempber, will be heard the last witnesses for the defence :
Carlos Coelho da Silva (the documentary film maker),  Margarida Teotónio Pereira (TVI director of international programs), etc. and possiby a witness for the accusation (?), José Viega Soares, a consultant in PR who was at the court on day 1 (the only (but me) reading a book and not consulting a smart phone) and was dismissed for that day.

Meanwhile Mr McCann and his sister had arrived. The Judge asked to call the two witnesses first Eduardo Dâmaso and later Trish Cameron. She explained no hearing was possible if a lawyer was missing. She said she was sorry the witnesses would have to come next  Wednesday. Mrs Cameron observed it was the second time.. The Judge acknowledged and apologized for this. She said this kind of circumstance, like health, cannot be anticipated and we can't but accept it. She said the court thanked the witnesses.
Mr McCann didn't even enter the audience room.

The Sun guy wasn't there, the one who works for 4 newspapers with 4 different identities to-day was working for 5.
Gonçalo Amaral's car was parked behind the building. So he took another exit. The reporters saw him (I don't know how, they do have hawk eyes) and rushed.