trial

Since Monday I have been closely following the trial against Anders Behring Breivik. It has simply been impossible to avoid seeing the pictures and footage of the Norwegian mass murderer smiling with satisfaction before his deeds were read out or the headlines “I would do it again”.  It has been the top story in most of the Scandinavian media outlets for the fourth day now.

Following yesterday’s convictions of Gary Dobson and David Norris for the murder of Stephen Lawrence, many areas of the media have unsurprisingly erupted in celebration to the verdict. It’s understandable. Few times in history has a case been so widely picked up and campaigned about following a single murder, and for the law to be changed to ensure justice because of this campaigning. But following this verdict has the press in fact stepped over the line from campaigning for justice to lynch mobbing?