British lawyer Steven Kay, who was appointed to conduct former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's defense at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, told an ICTY appeals court Thursday that the lower court deprived Milosevic of a fundamental right when it barred him from conducting his own defense. The court imposed appointed defense counsel for Milosevic in September after determining that he was too ill to continue representing himself. Milosevic, who faces 66 war crimes charges, has refused to cooperate with his appointed defense team, prompting Kay to tell the court Thursday that there is "such a conflict that we are ineffective in this trial and we are unable to say we are acting in the interest of justice." Read the appeal against assignment of defense counsel and the prosecution response. The ICTY has background on the case. AP has more.

Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase...

• Milosevic lawyers set to argue against their appointment
• War crimes court allows Milosevic lawyers to appeal appointment
• Milosevic lawyers ask to be dismissed from case
• British lawyers appointed to defend Milosevic
• BREAKING NEWS ~ Hague court forcing Milosevic to accept defense counsel