▁debate ▁about ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁Rh odes ia , ▁but ▁there after ▁played ▁no ▁further ▁active ▁part ▁in ▁parliament , ▁although ▁he ▁remained ▁North ▁Dev on ' s ▁member . ▁At ▁the ▁Liber als ' ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁annual ▁assembly ▁in ▁South port , ▁he ▁embar rass ed ▁the ▁leadership ▁by ▁making ▁a ▁the atr ical ▁entrance ▁and ▁taking ▁his ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁platform . ▁ ▁Comm itt al ▁and ▁trial ▁The ▁pro sec ution ▁set ▁out ▁its ▁case ▁at ▁the ▁pre - tri al ▁comm itt al ▁hearing , ▁which ▁began ▁in ▁Mine head ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁At ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁De ak in ' s ▁coun sel , ▁reporting ▁restrictions ▁were ▁lifted , ▁which ▁meant ▁that ▁newsp apers ▁were ▁free ▁to ▁print ▁anything ▁said ▁in ▁court ▁without ▁fear ▁of ▁the ▁lib el ▁laws . ▁This ▁move ▁inf uri ated ▁Thor pe , ▁who ▁had ▁hoped ▁for ▁an ▁in ▁camera ▁hearing ▁which ▁would ▁avoid ▁un fortun ate ▁newspaper ▁head lines ▁and ▁perhaps ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁dismiss al ▁of ▁the ▁case . ▁Wh atever ▁the ▁outcome , ▁Thor pe ▁knew ▁that ▁the ▁ad verse ▁public ity ▁would ▁destroy ▁his ▁career , ▁and ▁that ▁Scott ▁would ▁thus ▁have ▁his ▁reven ge . ▁As ▁the ▁hear ings ▁began , ▁B ess ell ▁described ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁meet ings ▁where ▁he ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁Thor pe ▁had ▁suggested ▁that ▁Hol mes ▁should ▁kill ▁Scott , ▁including ▁the ▁comment ▁about ▁the ▁shooting ▁of ▁a