Untitled Document
The chief judge in the Saddam Hussein trial has adjourned the session until 5
December.
 |
The judge adjourned the trial
to 5 December |
The trial was delayed to allow time to find replacements for two defence lawyers
who were slain and another who fled from the country after he was wounded.
Chief Judge Rizgar Muhammad Amin issued the order on Monday over objections
of the prosecution after the court reconvened following a lunch break as the
trial resumed after a five-week break.
The court had provided replacements for the three lawyers.
But former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan rejected his court-appointed
counsel and insisted on the right to choose his own.
After the judge announced the adjournment, defence lawyers protested that they
needed more time and suggested 30 days.
The judge suspended the proceedings for about 10 minutes and then announced
that the 5 December date stands.
Saddam's half brother and fellow defendant Barazan Ibrahim also complained
that he had not received proper medical treatment since being diagnosed with
cancer, and that this condition amounted to "indirect murder".
Saddam then complained that he had written three or four memos to the judge
since the 19 October session but received no response. The judge said he was
unaware of the memos.
