Alfred Degiorgio claims 'trial by media' before facing 'trial by jury'

Alfred Degiorgio claims he and his brother George have undergone trial by the media ever since their arrest almost five years ago, long before facing trial by jury over their role as alleged hitmen in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

Degiorgio made these claims in an application filed on Monday, seeking recourse before the constitutional courts to suspend trials "in the near future" in his regard until these latest grievances were decided upon. 

He recalled how former prime minister Joseph Muscat had delivered a press conference following the arrest of the two brothers and their alleged associate - later self-confessed hitman Vincent Muscat, during a police raid on the so-called Marsa potato sheds.

Although pronouncing himself as very cautious, there was no doubt that the message behind that national address was that the suspects behind what Muscat described as “a barbaric act” had been caught, he said.

Since then, both brothers were “bombarded” by both local and foreign media coverage, with their  “mugshots,” taken in relation to previous criminal investigations, published far and wide. 

The former prime minister had referred to those arrested as “reasonably suspected” of...