Malta magistrate recuses herself in slain journalist case
Donatella Frendo Dimech
VALLETTA  Malta (AP) â  A Maltese magistrate  has recused  herself  from hearing preliminary evidence in the killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia  citing a conflict of interest.
In the first hearing Thursday   Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech  declared that  she  had attended school with one of Caruana Galizia's three sisters and had recently exchanged condolences.
Lawyers for the three men accused in the Oct. 16 car bomb slaying argued that  the magistrate 's link is "uncomfortable" and that the suspects "should have peace of mind that nothing will impinge on the court's decision."
 Frendo Dimech  said the defense had "an objective reason to call impartiality into question" and asked that the case be reassigned.
VALLETTA  Malta (AP) â  A Maltese magistrate  has recused  herself  from hearing preliminary evidence in the killing of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia  citing a conflict of interest.
In the first hearing Thursday    [TGT] declared that   [TGT]   had attended school with one of Caruana Galizia's three sisters and had recently exchanged condolences.
Lawyers for the three men accused in the Oct. 16 car bomb slaying argued that  the magistrate 's link is "uncomfortable" and that the suspects "should have peace of mind that nothing will impinge on the court's decision."
 Frendo Dimech  said the defense had "an objective reason to call impartiality into question" and asked that the case be reassigned.