Lawyers battle over Pinochet fate

[emad]

BBC

Families of the victims were overjoyed at Judge Guzman's ruling

Lawyers for former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet are fighting a court ruling that he is fit to stand trial for alleged human rights abuses.

They scored a minor initial victory when an order to place the 89-year-old under house arrest was suspended.

Victims' families celebrated as Judge Juan Guzman's ruling brought him a step closer to trial on charges of murder and kidnapping during the 1970s.

But Gen Pinochet's lawyers say he is being persecuted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4093905.stm

Edit: see previous DU LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1063422

[lonestarnot]

1. He's a whitehouse primate guest! VIP

[emad]

3. Wish they'd DNA test these two.....

...

the similarities as just too horrible

[lonestarnot]

6. They even fucking look alike!

Check out the noses.

[emad]

7. Think Shrub is getting a bit nervous since Pin got busted again

and now faces capital charges in Chile????

[emad]

2. Pinochet charged with killing: The Times

From Fiona McCann in Buenos Aires

THE former dictator General Augusto Pinochet was formally charged yesterday with homicide and kidnapping and will be placed under house arrest, a Chilean judge said.

Judge Juan Guzmán rejected a medical diagnosis of moderate dementia that would have impeded him from trying the 89-year-old, saying that he had reviewed all statements and evidence relating to the plea and believed General Pinochet to be fit for trial.

As well as his own personal interviews with the former military ruler over the course of several months, Judge Guzmán had appointed three doctors to examine him to decide if he was fit to stand trial. While the court-appointed doctor diagnosed moderate dementia, the two other medical opinions differed, with the doctor acting on behalf of the victims of Operation Condor , a joint plan for eliminating dissidents formulated by several dictators who ruled South American during the 1970s and 1980s, arguing that General Pinochet was fit for trial.

The doctor appointed by the defence disagreed, arguing that General Pinochet’s health was deteriorating and that he was not in a fit condition to face a trial. Judge Guzmán met the three doctors involved to assess their diagnoses, and reviewed an interview given by General Pinochet to a Miami television station last year in which the former ruler spoke lucidly about his time as President of Chile.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,171-1402908,00.html

[emad]

4. From The Independent:

"General Pinochet was declared mentally fit to stand trial in Chile.I find that he is very physically deteriorated, but he has coherence in his psychological capacity and he understands questions, gives appropriate answers. These are the reasons I believe he is fit to stand trial."

General Pinochet's defence quickly announced they would appeal against the indictment before the Supreme Court. "This is a tremendous violation of a person's most basic human rights," said the former leader's chief defence lawyer, Pablo Rodriguez, maintaining that Judge Guzman has been "persecuting General Pinochet for a long time".

He added: "General Pinochet was diagnosed with a mild dementia three years ago, and this condition has worsened since then. But in spite of this, Judge Guzman tries him."..............

Viviana Diaz, a member of a dissidents' organisation whose members disappeared during Pinochet's regime, called the ruling: "a historic decision that must be celebrated by all democrats ... This is great news for all those Chileans who do not accept impunity in the violations of human rights," she said.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=592913

[gratuitous]

5. Awww, the poor general's being persecuted!

Actually guys, the word is "prosecuted." Not surprising that someone representing Mr. Pinochet wouldn't be familiar with the term, but it involves a procedure of establishing a person's guilt or innocence in accordance with previously-enacted laws.

A little different from the Iron Whim thing your client was accustomed to using.