Emergency Covid laws ‘a sinister attack on justice’
●Scotland’s lawyers revolt over plans to scrap jury trials during virus crisis
Senior lawyers in Scotland have branded emergency coronavirus laws going through Holyrood today an “attack” on centuries-old principles at the heart of the country’s justice system.
Radical measures being introduced will include the suspension of jury trials, a six-month extension on the time limit for cases to get under way and a relaxation of the evidence rules in some cases.
It could also result in some prisoners being freed to ease the pressure on jails during the pandemic, as part of the provisions of the Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill. The Scottish Government insists the measures are needed to ensure the smooth running of the justice system. It is backed by Scotland’s most senior judge, Lord Carloway, who warned the judiciary is facing a backlog of up to 1,000 trials as a result of the pandemic.
But the Tories announced last night they will seek to amend the emergency laws to retain jury trials.
The legislation is expected to be passed today and will include measures to bar evictions during the pandemic and cut red tape for councils.
But it is the changes to the criminal
has delayed a string of major film releases, including the latest instalment in the Ghostbusters franchise and superhero movie Morbius.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the entertainment industry, the Hollywood studio said seven films had been postponed.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife will now arrive in US cinemas on 5 March next year, having originally been slated for July this year.
Morbius, a Spider-man spinoff starring Jared Leto as the titular vampire, had also been set for release in July, but has now been pushed back to 19 March next year.
Greyhound, the Second World War film starring Tom Hanks, will no longer make its June premiere and has no specified release date.
Kevin Hart’s Fatherhood has been moved from January 2021 to October next year.
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway has been delayed for a second time.
Originally supposed to be released in March, it was postponed until August as the scale of the coronavirus crisis became clear.
However, it has been moved again and will now be released on 15 January 2021. Video game adaption Uncharted will miss its March 2021 date and instead arrive in October of that year.
And an untitled film from Sony and Marvel has been moved to an unspecified date instead of opening on 8 October 2021.
The release dates listed are US only.
No other territories were mentioned.
Hollywood has been ravaged by the global pandemic, with some experts claiming the final cost to the entertainsony ment industry could reach tens of billions of dollars.
Other major releases to be delayed include No Time To Die, apparently Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond, Disney blockbusters Mulan and Black Widow and A Quiet Place II and Fast & Furious 9.
Hanks is one of the highest profile stars known to have tested positive for Covid-19, the highly infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus.