Tove and Ellen: The trial can affect future witnesses

Examination of the cultural news shows that in many cases the section of the Trial Pillow is made without the knowledge of the relatives, and against the will of the families. For Ellen, who is really named something else, it was a shock to hear her own voice in the true crime success, when her grief from the trial of a murdered family member was played to hundreds of thousands of listeners.

- It was extremely painful, like being back on the trial both mentally and physically. That someone entertained the tragedy that my family and I have gone through felt so incredibly disrespectful, she tells Culture News.

- Who has given them the right to use the tragedies of others for their own gain? How can you choose to treat victims like that?

"People take pleasure in our tragedy"

Tove Sigurdson is the mother of Annie who died in 2018, a case that is addressed in three sections of the Trial. The publications began only a few weeks after the suspected offender was released from murder in the High Court.

In the sections, testimony is heard from both the suspected killer and Annie's family and friends. Here, too, the family was contacted by the Trial Court prior to publication.

- It felt like people were making fun of our tragedy. You feel very, very extravagant. It's really great when people who have listened come forward and want to talk about the pod, says Tove Sigurdson.

- You know they listened to me when I was talking or to my son crying in the district court. It's like it never ends, like it gets torn up all the time with everyone listening.

Do you think it could have affected you at the time of the testimony, if you had known that what you say can be played in a true crime pod?

- Yes, I think so. In the courtroom, I felt safe, but had I known that my heart would end up in a pod, I would probably have been more restrictive.

Tove Sigurdson's picture is shared by Ellen. She also says that she would tell us much less today in police interrogations and trials.

- It is believed that they provide information that will help the police forward. If more people knew that it could instead be entertainment for the public, they would probably choose carefully how sensitive details they go into.

Nils Bergman, who does the Trial, says that he regrets that relatives have taken bad care of his program, and that his purpose has never been to harm anyone.

Instead, Bergman believes that the trial court wants to disseminate knowledge about the legal system and give the whole picture of noted legal cases to an interested public. But that he - by playing up related testimonies against their will - could influence future trials, he sees as unlikely.

- I can understand the reasoning, but I do not know if I can bear the responsibility for such an effect on the Swedish legal system for making a podcast, says Nils Bergman.

- After all, I get the material from the district court completely uncensored and without consequences, they also do not contact relatives and ask if it is ok. I do not want to influence witnesses, but I find it difficult to see that the trial pod contributes to this effect.

After taking note of the criticism from relatives, Nils Bergman now says that he will review how he works with the trial pod. You can read a longer interview with him here.