Dresden, Germany - Relatives of the Egyptian woman stabbed to death in a Dresden courtroom are seeking compensation from Germany, a lawyer for the family said Thursday.

Both the family of Marwa al-Shirbini and relatives of her husband have been holding talks with the justice ministry in the state of Saxony, where the July 1 killing occured.

No sum had been mentioned so far in the talks, said lawyer Oliver Wallasch on the fringe of the trial of Alex W, a Russian-born German accused of the racially motivated murder of al-Shirbini, 31.

Wallasch is representing the murdered woman's brother, a co-plaintiff in the trial, which entered it fourth day on Thursday before adjourning until next week.

Alex W, 28, is alleged to have killed the pregnant woman and seriously injured her husband, Elwy Ali Okaz during an appeal against a fine he received for insulting al-Shirbini at a children's playground in 2008.

Her family have filed charges against the judge who presided over the hearing and the chief judge of the Dresden Regional Court, for failing to assist the victim and negligent manslaughter. The charges are still being investigated.

A lay judge at the hearing told the court Thursday that the presiding judge pressed an emergency button under his desk as soon as the accused lunged at al-Shirbini.

"He pressed the alarm as soon as the chaos erupted. I saw that clearly," said Johann Augst, a retired Norwegian consul-general.

The judge himself told the court two days earlier that he went to the assistance of the Egyptian woman before triggering the alarm.

Intense security precautions are in place at the, after the killing had provoked angry reactions in Egypt and a death threat against the defendant.

The trial is expected to last until November 11. (dpa)