[JURIST] Following more allegations [JURIST report] Friday that Saddam Hussein has been tortured by his American captors, lawyers for the ousted ruler have asked his Baghdad court for an independent investigation. Chief Iraqi lawyer Khalil Dulaimi said Sunday that Saddam has expressed doubts about his ability to properly defends charges against him due to the effects of physical and psychological abuse he has endured. US officials have repeatedly denied allegations that Hussein had been tortured in US custody [White House transcript] and the Iraqi investigating judge who put together the case against Hussein has stated that the former president always answered "No" when asked if he had been abused [JURIST report]. The trial, involving the 1982 killings of 143 Shiite Muslims in the village of Dujail [JURIST report], has been adjourned until January 24 [JURIST report]. Reuters has more.