Defendants May Boycott Soccer Trial; Cost Cited

British soccer fans charged with manslaughter in the Heysel Stadium riots may boycott the closing stages of their trial in Belgium because of high travel costs, the chief defense attorney said today.

Lawyer Sir Harry Livermore said the fans know they could be throwing away any chance of acquittal and face stiffer penalties by staying away but cannot afford the three return trips to Brussels ordered by the presiding judge.

The attorney for 15 of the 25 defendants said that many of the fans are out of work and that others would be unable to take so much time off from their jobs.

“If a defendant does not attend without good reason, his defense lawyer will not be able to make any submissions on his behalf,” Livermore said. “This could result in them losing the case by default.

39 Killed

“If they don’t attend, they would forfeit their bail and would be regarded as absent from the trial, and if found guilty the penalty would be more serious.”

The Liverpool fans are accused of manslaughter in the deaths of 39 people, most of them supporters of the Italian club Juventus, in riots that broke out before the European Cup final in Brussels almost four years ago.

The trial, which began last autumn after several delays, is expected to finish in mid-March.

The defendants have been allowed to return to Britain while the trial continues on civil law aspects, but the judge has ordered them back for three dates: when the prosecution wraps up its case Jan. 16 to 18, when defense lawyers make their closing arguments and when the verdict is returned.

Livermore said the judge is insensitive and unsympathetic in ordering so many trips.