Trial by Twitter and Facebook is against the
law.
The law regarding the justice process is very clear – as
soon as a person is charged with an offence, especially murder, it
is illegal to publish anything about the accused that might
jeopardise them getting a fair trial. They are presumed innocent
until found guilty in court.
Newspapers, radio and television can't publish details of an
accused's prior convictions or charges against them. They
can't run any commentary on the guilt or innocence of the
accused. They can't publish photos or information about the
accused that may influence a witness or juror.
Break these laws and the publisher and reporter can be held in
contempt of court and face stiff penalties, even jail. Everybody
has the right to a fair trial, and these laws are designed to
prevent witnesses or juries being influenced by what they may see
in the media.
