– For him, this is a ruined life. Regardless of the outcome of this case, says Stian Kristensen. He defends the 52-year-old man who is charged with the murder of Birgitte Tengs in 1995. The prosecution believes he should be sentenced to 17 years in prison. The defense wants him acquitted. For nearly seven weeks, the defendant has appeared in court. According to the prosecution, the defendant’s DNA was found on Birgitte’s tights. His criminal history has been presented. In addition to large parts of his private life. Stian Kristensen defends the accused 52-year-old. Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news – It has been tough for him mentally to sit all these weeks and hear details from his private life unfold, says Kristensen. He believes the media should be independent when it comes to what is referred to from the court. – It concerns the episodes from his life, which strictly speaking have nothing to do with the question the court must decide on. That is the character assassination we are reacting to. Kristensen believes it is unnecessary to identify the 52-year-old. – He finds it terribly unpleasant to be plastered on the front page of the country’s newspapers with his name and picture. The defendant has been in the police’s spotlight since 1995. Photo: Privat Different practices Some media outlets have chosen to publish the name and photo of the defendant. Others choose to anonymize. There are also different practices for what is referred to from the court. Lars Helle is staff editor at Dagbladet. Avisa is among the media that have chosen to use the defendant’s name and photo. What they choose to refer from the courtroom is under continuous assessment. The beware poster must always be assessed against what the public has a right to know, according to Helle. Lars Helle is staff editor at Dagbladet. Photo: Lars Idar Waage / Stavanger Aftenblad – We are in the main proceedings in the district court. An indictment has been issued. This means that there is a qualified suspicion against the accused. And he is being prosecuted for one of the most serious things you can be prosecuted for in Norway. It’s situations like that that come into play, says Helle. He points out that it took a long time before some media made public who the defendant was. – Although the administration of justice is open to the public, it is not the case that the media can refer to everything. And neither do they. It was only when the indictment came that the media started using the name and picture of the accused. Some do not yet, says Helle. Not convicted Regionavisa Haugesunds Avis covers the trial. Avisa has deliberately chosen not to identify the 52-year-old accused. – I think certain media have gone quite far in bringing details that have not been relevant to what he is accused of, says responsible editor Einar Tho. He understands that it can be burdensome to have his private life published in the media. And points out that the accused denies criminal guilt. Which made it easy to make a decision not to identify. Responsible editor in Haugesund’s Avis, Einar Tho. Photo: Haugesunds Avis – He denies having anything to do with the murder. It is not clear to us whether he is guilty or will be convicted, says Tho. This week there are proceedings in court. A verdict in the case is expected in the case at the end of February. – Will you make new assessments if the defendant is convicted? – Yes, and then the probability is greater that we will go out with a name and image, says Tho. An appeal case has already been scheduled in the Gulating Court of Appeal in September 2023.
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