---
title: "Court Scrutinises Pre-Trial Survey Conducted Ahead of Yorgen Fenech Case"
date: 2026-09-05T13:57:55.895+00:00
updated: 2026-09-05T13:57:55.895+00:00
topics: ["Crime", "Courts", "National"]
canonical: https://filqosor.com/article/2026-09-05/court-scrutinises-pre-trial-survey-conducted-ahead-of-yorgen-fenech-case
source: Fil-Qosor
---

# Court Scrutinises Pre-Trial Survey Conducted Ahead of Yorgen Fenech Case

## In brief

- Statistician Vince Marmarà was summoned before Judge Edwina Grima regarding a survey conducted weeks before the Yorgen Fenech trial.
- The polling was commissioned on behalf of Fenech by his uncle Ray Fenech and involved a randomly selected public sample.
- The exercise raised questions in court regarding its potential impact on prospective jurors ahead of the murder proceedings.

Criminal Court Judge Edwina Grima summoned academic and pollster Vince Marmarà to address questions regarding an opinion survey carried out shortly before the murder trial of Yorgen Fenech commenced.

The polling exercise was conducted just weeks ahead of jury selection in the trial concerning the 2017 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The timing of the study prompted scrutiny regarding whether such research could reach or influence individuals eligible for jury service.

According to court details, the survey was commissioned on Fenech's behalf through his uncle, Ray Fenech, with defence lawyer Charles Mercieca involved in coordinating the initiative. The research sampled randomly selected members of the Maltese public on issues connected to the case.

The polling sparked controversy due to strict legal restrictions intended to protect jury pools from outside influence prior to criminal proceedings. In criminal trials with juries, maintaining an impartial pool of jurors is a central safeguard under Maltese law.

Marmarà, a prominent statistician who regularly conducts surveys for commercial bodies, political parties, and public entities, was asked to clarify the nature, methodology, and intentions behind the pre-trial sampling.

The revelations concerning the survey emerged amid broader scrutiny surrounding the conduct and preparation of the high-profile murder trial, which concluded with Fenech's acquittal on all charges.

## The Spin Room

**Medium media divide.** Coverage differed in focus, with reporting ranging from the legal scrutiny over juror integrity to emphasis on the pollster's external professional ties.

- **Lovin Malta:** Focused on the court proceedings before Judge Edwina Grima and questions surrounding whether the pre-trial survey could affect prospective jurors.
- **The Maltese Herald:** Emphasised Vince Marmarà's background as a regular pollster for public entities and political organisations, framing the survey as a procedural irregularity.

## Sources (2)

- [The Maltese Herald](https://themalteseherald.com/2026/09/05/hopes-emerge-with-the-prosecutors-appeal-as-as-irregularities-about-yorgen-fenechs-the-trial-are-revealed/)
- [Lovin Malta](https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/yorgen-fenech-survey-carried-out-weeks-before-trial-sparks-questions-over-potential-jurors/)

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