Gangland killing trial resumes

The trial of 10 men and one woman charged with at least seven gangland killings resumes in the Amsterdam high security court on Monday, with a former gang member expected to take the witness box.


Peter de la Serpe, who is suspected of involvement in several killings, has turned state’s evidence and will address the court from a specially-protected witness box.
However, the Telegraaf reports that a number of defence lawyers are expected to focus on newspaper revelations this weekend which show the public prosecution has failed to destroy secret recordings of 160 phone calls between themselves and their clients.
Recordings
In total, 170,000 phone conversations were recorded during the investigation.
Tapping phone conversations between suspects and lawyers is not illegal, but the tapes must be destroyed and information may not be used in building a case against the defendants.
Last week judges threw out the case against three people said to be involved in a massive financial swindle centred on tulip bulbs because phone recordings had been kept. The trial of a number of Hells Angels collapsed for the same reason last year.

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