1.
GV PAN Courthouse building, Turin, Italy
0.08

2.
GVs & SVs INTERIOR Lawyers, newsmen and others in court (4 shots)
0.32

3.
SVs Judge onto bench and addressing court (2 shots)
0.51

4.
SV Cage in court
1.00

5.
SV Judge leaving courtroom
1.02



Initials BB/0245



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The trial in Italy of 52 suspected urban guerrillas has been indefinitely suspended after members of the jury refused to serve, saying they had received death threats against them. The suspects, who were put on trial in a specially-built steel cage in the northern city of Turin, are accused of belonging to the notorious 'Red Brigade' guerrilla group.

SYNOPSIS: The trial had re-opened on Tuesday (3 May) in an atmosphere of tension and fear following the assassination the previous week of the President of the Turin Law Society. The Red Brigade claimed responsibility. The murder was followed by a barrage of telephone calls threatening death to police chiefs, justice officials and leading doctors if the trial went ahead. It was first postponed from last May when the group, accused of bombings, political kidnappings and other offences, dismissed their lawyers.

On Tuesday, when it became clear that it would be impossible to form a jury after only two jurors agreed to serve, the Court President declared the trial adjourned indefinitely. Justice sources said it would not resume for at least a month. Only eight of the defendants were in court to hear the announcement. The Red Brigade call themselves 'communist combatants', but have been disowned by most left-wing groups in Italy, including the Communist Party.