Ailing Saddam witness gives testimony without defense lawyers News
Ailing Saddam witness gives testimony without defense lawyers

[JURIST] Waddah al-Sheikh, who served as a senior officer in the investigations and evidence unit at Hakmiya, Iraq's main intelligence agency under the rule of Saddam Hussein, became the first witness to testify [JURIST report] in Hussein's trial [JURIST news archive] Sunday. Court officials feared that al-Sheikh, who is dying of cancer and is one of the main witnesses at the trial, would not survive until the trial resumes on November 28 [JURIST report]. Al-Sheikh gave testimony to three judges and his words were recorded and written down. Despite security reassurances, and in keeping with a boycott threat [JURIST report], defense lawyers refused to attend the proceeding following the killing of a lawyer for one of Hussein's co-defendants [JURIST report] by gunmen late last week. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion

On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers. Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today. Learn more about the 1862 Minnesota Sioux Rebellion.

Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution

On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on trial before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.