[JURIST] Steven Kay and Gillian Higgins, the two lawyers appointed to defend former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic in his war crimes trial before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, asked the court Tuesday to be dismissed as Milosevic's standby defense counsel. As previously reported on JURIST's Paper Chase, the ICTY appeals chamber ruled last week that Milosevic could resume conducting his own defense, but said Milosevic must have a standby lawyer in case his health deteriorates. Read the ICTY ruling. Kay told the court that the rapport built up between the lawyers and Milosevic while they served as "friends of the court" to ensure a fair trial had been "completely destroyed" after they were temporarily appointed to conduct Milosevic's defense. Kay argued that failing to allow them to withdraw from the case would raise ethical questions, saying "we are putting the court on notice that there is a fundamental flaw in these proceedings." AP has more and Reuters has additional coverage of Kay's argument before the ICTY here. The ICTY has background on the case against Milosevic.

Previously on JURIST's Paper Chase...

• International brief ~ Milosevic allowed to conduct his own defense again
• UK lawyers request withdrawal from Milosevic defense
• Court-appointed lawyer says Milosevic should conduct own defense