Chile high court affirms Pinochet family embezzlement indictment dismissal News
Chile high court affirms Pinochet family embezzlement indictment dismissal

[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Chile [official website] on Wednesday upheld an appeals court decision to drop embezzlement charges [JURIST report] brought against the widow and five sons of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet [JURIST news archive; BBC profile]. The six were originally indicted [PDF text, in Spanish; JURIST report] along with 17 others [full list, in Spanish] on October 4 in connection with allegations that Pinochet had embezzled $25 million in government funds. The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed with the lower court's decision that since the accused were not government employees, they could not be charged with embezzling government funds. Charges against a spokesman and several advisers to Pinochet were also dropped.

Pinochet died of a heart attack [JURIST report] in December 2006 without ever facing trial on multiple charges of tax evasion and human rights violations. Last week, the Supreme Court affirmed seven convictions and overturned one [JURIST report] in cases involving murders committed by state agents during Pinochet's 1973-90 regime. The court based its decision on the Geneva Conventions [ICRC materials], finding that Chile was in a state of internal armed conflict when the murder occurred. AP 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.