Chilean judge petitions court to strip Pinochet immunity in embezzlement case News
Chilean judge petitions court to strip Pinochet immunity in embezzlement case

[JURIST] A Chilean judge Tuesday asked that former president Augusto Pinochet [JURIST news archive; Wikipedia profile] be stripped of his immunity from prosecution on embezzlement charges. In his last action before joining the Chilean Supreme Court, Judge Sergio Munoz, who extensively investigated Pinochet for tax evasion and embezzlement, petitioned the Santiago Court of Appeals to force Pinochet to face charges related to approximately $27 million he held in offshore accounts; his defense insists the money derived from legitimate sources. The move would not be unprecedented as the Court of Appeals has already stripped Pinochet of immunity [JURIST report] from prosecution in several human rights cases, notwithstanding the tradition of according the to all former Chilean presidents. Pinochet, 89, who has so far avoided conviction due to mild dementia, underwent medical examinations [UPI report] on Tuesday to determine if he is fit to stand trial in the Operation Condor [Wikipedia backgrounder] human rights case. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emporer

On December 25, 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome, Italy. During his lifetime, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He is credited with spreading the rule of law throughout his dominions as well as starting the French and German monarchies.

President Andrew Johnson pardoned Confederates

On December 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all who had been involved in "insurrection or rebellion" during the US Civil War.