Black's wife lashes out at media 'vermin and sluts' outside court

The most passionate opening argument took place outside the courtroom as the Conrad Black trial began yesterday.

Barbara Amiel, the wife of the fallen newspaper tycoon, lashed out at journalists covering her husband's trial for an alleged $84m (£43.2m) fraud. The former columnist, whose lavish spending habits will form a significant part of the prosecution case, called the media "vermin" and described a Canadian television producer as a "slut".

Forced to travel from the courtroom in a lift packed with journalists, Lady Black said: "You journalists are vermin. I used to be a journalist and I didn't doorstep people and I didn't hold my nose in the elevator."

It was a producer from the Canadian television broadcaster CBC who appeared to trigger the tirade. Lady Black shouted at her "you slut". Alana Black, who is Lord Black's daughter from his first marriage, giggled during the incident.

Lady Black later admitted to friends that she had "lost her cool". Her husband had been no less combative on his way into court. "You look like a Vietnam protester," he said to a journalist who was queuing for one of the few spaces available for the press.

More than 100 journalists are camped out around the courthouse in Chicago as the fallen peer fights allegations that he looted Hollinger International, the media company he chaired.

Inside the airless, 12th-floor court itself, Lord Black and his seven lawyers are crammed around a single table facing the jury.

Court had been expected to resume in the afternoon but the opening arguments were delayed until today. One report ­ citing attorneys on the case ­ said it was because one juror had failed to show up.

Judge St Eve said that she was considering taking the unusual step of keeping the jurors' names a secret to protect them from the media. She said that several jurors had expressed their fear that journalists would attempt to contact them or their families.

The Chicago Tribune is arguing the names should be disclosed, as they would normally have been by now.

Yesterday morning, the Black legal defence threw a spanner into the legal workings that delayed the swearing in of the jury and threatened to disrupt the start of the prosecution case.

Edward Genson, Lord Black's Chicago attorney, argued that jurors could have been prejudiced by news over the weekend that David Radler, Lord Black's right-hand man for more than 35 years, had agreed to pay back tens of millions of dollars to Hollinger International. He is set to be the pivotal prosecution witness, after negotiating a plea deal with prosecutors.

Judge Amy St Eve agreed to ask the jurors individually if they had read anything about the case. Lord Black is facing 14 charges of fraud, racketeering and obstruction of justice.