The fact remains that the trial has been suspended delayed:
The start of the trial has been postponed twice,
the first one on the 9th of February of 2012.
the second on the 8th September 2012
Then a delay to allow the parties to attempt to reach a settlement
Then a delay earlier this year when Amaral introduced doubt as to whether the McCanns needed authority from the High Court to join Madeleine in the action (significantly a point which had not been raised previously by his defence team or by the court).
Now a delay because he sacked his lawyer.
All legal of course. But not really convinced this is the way a man on his way to winning a case behaves?
The judge then scheduled the start of the trial at the Palace of Justice for the 13th of September of the same year, with another three sessions on the agenda, but none took place due to Gonçalo Amaral's lawyer's unavailability, as he was admitted for a stomach examination under anesthesia.