Dutroux goes on trial

Chris Morris: With a police helicopter hovering overhead and hundreds of officers on duty around the courthouse, Belgium is finally witnessing the trial of Marc Dutroux. Its eight years since he was arrested and charged with murder, rape, abduction and imprisonment; eight years since four girls died and two others were rescued from a basement cell. In court today, the defendant sat behind bullet-proof glass as the court prepared to swear in a jury. Defence lawyers will argue that it's impossible for Marc Dutroux to get a fair trial in a country which has, in effect, already declared him guilty. He says he was just a pawn in the game, part of a much broader conspiracy. Many Belgians believe him. They point to police and judicial blunders as evidence that there's been a campaign to cover up the truth. But the prosecution says Dutroux and his accomplices worked on their own. They will argue that he is an evil man, responsible for the most horrific of crimes. VOCABULARY to hover - kroužit (vznášet se na jednom místě) murder - vražda rape - znásilnění abduction - únos swear in a jury - vzít porotu do přísahy bullet-proof glass - neprůstřelné sklo pawn - pěšec judicial blunders - justiční chyby accomplices - spoluviníci, komplicové evil man - zlosyn, ztělesněné zlo