As five of the men accused of the gang rape and murder of a 23 year old woman in India appear in court today, two of the suspects claim they will act as witnesses, in order to avoid a possible death penalty.
The accused can be seen here being driven to the court away from the noisy protests outside the building. They were due to be notified of the charges against them in a 33 page document that details the brutality of the crimes, but due to chaotic scenes inside the jam-packed court the hearing has now been adjourned. A closed court will now be held later on today.
Two of the men have claimed they will provide eye-witness evidence of the crime in order to back up the case, and in return will receive a lesser punishment. The incident has sent shockwaves throughout India and provoked widespread outrage over the treatment of women, meaning that the chances of the duo turning into witnesses remain unlikely.
The sixth suspect, who is 17, will be tried in a separate court for juveniles. As a minor he could receive a sentence of up to three years in prison.
