Three accused in India rape case get lawyers

Three of the men accused of raping and murdering an Indian student have asked lawyers to defend them and the lawyers have agreed to do so, even though most of the judiciary has refused to represent the suspects because of outrage over the attack.

The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died two weeks after being beaten and gang-raped on a moving bus in New Delhi, then thrown bleeding on to the street. Protests followed, along with a fierce public debate over police failure to stem rampant violence against women.

Five men and a teenager have been accused of the Dec 16 attack, but with public anger simmering most lawyers in the district where the trial will be held have ruled out representing them.