Vote on Tuesday.
Do the right thing.
Posted on 11/03/2002 6:03:49 PM PST by vooch
THE HAGUE, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Slobodan Milosevic's trial ground to a halt on Friday after he complained of exhaustion with judges concerned about the impact of his ailing health on Europe's biggest war crimes hearing since World War Two.
The 61-year-old ex-Yugoslav leader, who has been advised by doctors to rest regularly because of high blood pressure, has been defending himself at The Hague since February against charges of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 1990s.
Judges at the U.N. court adjourned Friday's hearing within a matter of minutes after announcing Milosevic would not be taking his seat in the dock because he had complained of exhaustion at the end of a week of vigorous cross-examination.
"He has complained of exhaustion and is being seen by a doctor this morning and a report will be obtained," presiding judge Richard May told the court in Milosevic's absence.
TRIAL STRESSES RAISE CONCERNS
The landmark trial for genocide and crimes against humanity has been adjourned several times since it opened more than eight months ago because of Milosevic's health problems.
"In the light of the state of the accused's health and the length and complexity of the case, the trial chamber is concerned about completion of the trial," said May, one of a panel of three international judges hearing the case.
Judges have urged prosecutors and Milosevic to deal quickly and efficiently with the huge volume of evidence and testimony in a case drawing on thousands of documents, videos, photographs and maps covering three conflicts over almost a decade.
"The judges are not intimating that the trial itself is in jeopardy. What they are concerned about is that there are stresses on all participants in a trial of this scope and this length," tribunal spokesman Jim Landale said.
Judge May asked the prosecution and a team of independent lawyers appointed to ensure Milosevic gets a fair trial to come up with proposals within a week to streamline the hearings.
"We were working within the framework given to the court by the trial chamber already with very tough conditions," prosecution spokeswoman Florence Hartmann said in response to judge May's request.
One of Milosevic's legal advisers called for a shorter trial day in response to his client's poor health. The trial often runs from around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., taking in hours of cross-examination, detailed evidence and complex legal argument.
"Since yesterday evening he has been feeling very, very bad. He's got very high blood-pressure. He can't be in court to do the cross examination," Dragoslav Ognjanovic said.
"His blood pressure and his health condition is due to the exhausting pace of the trial," he said. Milosevic's wife Mira Markovic and his family were also worried, Ognjanovic added.
The former Yugoslav President -- charged with 66 counts of human rights violations in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo -- has made it clear he considers the charges politically motivated.
Milosevic opted to conduct his own defence in a show of contempt for a court he does not recognise and spurned advice to appoint a defence lawyer. He declined to plead to the charges and not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf by judges.
The trial's first phase, focusing on alleged crimes in Kosovo in 1999, ended in September. The court is now hearing evidence from the 1991-95 conflict in Croatia and Bosnia.
Judges, who have already imposed time restrictions on both sides due to the enormous scope of the trial, have asked prosecutors to conclude their whole case over alleged crimes in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, by next May.
Milosevic will then launch his defence. The trial is expected to last at least two years.
The U.N. detention block where Milosevic is held with dozens of other war crimes suspects from the former Yugoslavia has its own doctor and medical facilities. The block is inside a Dutch prison compound with its own hospital about a one hour drive from the courtroom.
11/01/02 07:47 ET
Do the right thing.
May is a ultra liberal from way back, no wonder Clinton picked May to lead the UN Tribunal.
BTW The Prosecutor, Mr. Nice is also a Labour Party hack of some 2o years standing.
VRN
you've touched on the HumWarriors tactic which appears to be to keep SM as weaken as possible for as long as possible in a despicable attempt to demoralize him.
one should note that unlike the US and English courts systems, SM has not be allowed any funds for his own defense. The Prosecution spends much of the $100mm per year allocated for the court. SM gets zilch.
SM's team is so poverty bound that they can't even pay their e-mail bills. On the other hand, the prosecution has a huge team of high priced consultants and other experts at its beck and call.
SM is clearly not thinking of "flight", yet the Tribunal refuses to grant him bail. If SM was out on bail, he'd be able to rent a house close by the Tribunal and work on his defense at a desk with a computer...just like the prosecution. Instead he has to spend 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day 'commuting' from the Nazi era prison where he is held in solitary to the Tribunal courtroom.
It is clearly a despicable tactic of the HumWarriors to wear SM down. The prosecution goes home every night to their (ICTY paid) apartments or 5 star Hotels and flies off for the weekend to Paris or London (again at ICTY's expense), while SM is locked up in solitary.
Despite having the deck stacked against him, SM has broken the back of the prosecution case. The HumWarriors have distanced themselves from the Tribunal and change the subject anytime the Tribunal is mentioned.
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