August 05, 2008

News of Hamdan's trial .. (well, didn't you EXPECT a mistrial?)

Guantanamo war crimes trial nearly dismissed
Nepal News.Net
Tuesday 5th August, 2008


The US military will continue its first Guantanamo war crimes trial, even though the military court narrowly avoided a possible mistrial on Tuesday.Prosecutors and defence lawyers fought over instructions provided to jurors weighing the fate of Osama bin Laden’s former driver, causing jurors to end their day without a verdict. Military prosecutors said the judge improperly instructed jurors on a legal definition, a mistake that potentially makes it more difficult to convict Salim Hamdan in the first US war crimes trial since World War II.The judge, Navy Capt. Keith Allred, said he in fact may have given an incorrect definition of a war crime, but said it was too late to revise his instructions.The defence said redoing the instructions would prompt a mistrial and the prosecution agreed to allowing the trial to proceed.Hamdan is charged with two counts of conspiracy and eight of aiding terrorism by transporting shoulder-launched missiles to kill US service members.

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