Former Rwanda mayor pleads guilty at genocide tribunal News
Former Rwanda mayor pleads guilty at genocide tribunal

[JURIST] Paul Bisengimana, former mayor of the Rwandan town Gikoro, pleaded guilty Thursday before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [official website] on charges related to the country's 1994 genocide [BBC backgrounder]. Bisengimana was initially charged [PDF indictment] with genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, direct incitement to commit genocide, crimes against humanity including murder, extermination, rape, torture and other inhumane acts and violations of the Geneva Conventions and he entered a not guilty plea after being arrested in 2001. He changed his plea Thursday in an agreement with prosecutors: Bisengimana pleaded guilty to murder and extermination and the other charges were dropped. Bisengimana admitted to planning and participating in the murders of several thousand Tutsis who sought refuge in Gikoro. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.