Zimbabwe opposition leader petitions high court to set aside 2002 election results News
Zimbabwe opposition leader petitions high court to set aside 2002 election results

[JURIST] Lawyers for Morgan Tsvangirai [BBC profile], opposition leader in Zimbabwe [JURIST news archive], on Thursday petitioned that country's high court to hear Tsvangirai's legal challenge to President Mugabe's 2002 election victory. As leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) [official website] Tsvangirai ran against Mugabe for the presidency in 2002 and lost. Thursday's appeal to Zimbabwe's high court followed a lower court's dismissal of Tsvangirai's case. Tsvangirai noted that because he believes the entire judiciary is biased in favor of the current government led by Robert Mugabe [BBC profile], it is unlikely the high court will set aside the lower court's decision. This year's parliamentary elections also led to victory for Mugabe's Zanu PF [official website] party, despite allegations of widespread voter fraud [JURIST report]. Tsvangirai also rejected [JURIST report] that victory and challenged the election in court [JURIST report]. ZWNews has local coverage; SABC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pennsylvania police killed 19 miners during strike

The Luzerne County Sheriff and deputies opened fire on a group of 400 striking miners in the town of Lattimer, Pennsylvania on September 10, 1897. Around 19 strikers were killed, and 39 were injured as a result. Luzerne County Sheriff James Martin and his deputies were later acquitted by a Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania jury after claiming that the strikers advanced upon the police. Learn more about the Lattimer Massacre from the Zinn Education Project and the Pennsylvania Center for the Book.

Sewing machine patented

On September 10, 1846, United States patent number 3640 was awarded to Elias Howe for his sewing machine. In 1854, Howe brought legal action against Isaac Singer, because he alleged Singer's machine infringed upon the patent. Howe won the case and was awarded royalties from the Singer sewing machines. Learn more about Elias Howe from the University of Rochester.

Last French execution by guillotine

On September 10, 1977, Hamida Djandoubi, a Tunisian immigrant convicted of murder, became the last person executed by guillotine in France. The French death penalty was formally abolished by President Francois Mitterand in 1981. Learn more about the history of the guillotine.