Legal Commentary

Peru Court Calls on Media to Report Responsibly on Joran Van der Sloot

By Jeralyn

The court in Lima handling the case of Joran Van der Sloot issued a press release on yesterday's proceedings. (Google English translation here.)It ends with a call for the media to report responsibly and accurately.

Also according to the press release, the judge ordered additional psych reports today:

Dr. Córdova Morales also ordered the implementation of psychological and psychiatric expertise to the principal defendant, and the necropsy ratificaciónde and all expert reports made in the preliminary stage (fingerprint, forensic psychology, criminal roadworthiness, toxicological, etc.), the specialists to explain the reasons for their opinions.

CNN says it has obtained a copy of a psychological report performed and reports the details. Since the press release refers twice to psych reports, it seems the Court ordered additional ones today and also ordered it be provided any prepared during the police investigation. If so, the police version is not the only one the Judge will be reviewing. Hopefully the experts appointed by the Court will be more discreet.

Are there sanctions in Peru for improper leaking of police documents to the media? Probably not, since CNN presumably has lawyers whose job it is to know these things. But there should be. CNN seems to think because there are no juries in Peru, there's no prejudice to the defendant and all is fair game. I guess CNN is now competing with the Enquirer.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 22, 2010 (boomark / email).