Saddam trial resumes with new judge, bites, defendants leave

(29 Jan 2006)

++AP TELEVISION HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE CONTENT OF PICTURES OR THE QUALITY OF THE AUDIO FROM THE TRIAL.
1. Mid shot of the new chief judge, Raouf Abdel-Rahman
2. Mid shot of Saddam Hussein
3. Mid shot of deputy judges
4. Mid shot of Raouf Abdel-Rahman
5. Mid shot of Iraqi defence lawyer Khalil Al-Dulaimi
6. Wide of defendants
7. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Saddam Hussein, co-defendant and former Iraqi President (pointing his finger at the court-appointed lawyers)
"We reject you, and if you stay, you are evil (turns his head towards the judge). This is my right. You cannot force me, this is my right. (judge interrupts:" We don't force you but we do not allow you to be abusive towards this place."). Please, so that I do not annoy you and you do not annoy me, you are an Iraqi and I shall continue to respect you as an Iraqi, unless you abandon your Iraqiness. (judge interrupts: "It should be like this and God willing, my Iraqiness is well founded.) "That's why you have to excuse me because I cannot bear staying, at least during this session, until things are sorted out in a dignified way."
8. Cutaway of deputy judges
9. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Raouf Abdel-Rahman, new chief judge:
" Do not interrupts the court. I shall give you enough time. Listen, listen, I shall give you enough time to talk as you wish and as your colleagues wish."
10. Cutaway of lawyers
11. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Barzan Ibrahim, Saddam's co-defendant:
" I am cooperating with the court one hundred percent, despite its illegitimacy, and I have described it as a daughter of a whore."
12. Cutaway of deputy judge
13. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Raouf Abdel-Rahman, new chief judge:
" Sit down or I shall remove you".
13. Co-defendant Awad Al-Bandar getting up. UPSOUND:" Yes, remove me."
14. Mid shot of judge UPSOUND: exchange continues with Taha Yasin Ramadan
15. Co-defendant , Taha Yasin Ramadan arguing with judge (grey shirt)
16. Mid shot of curtain
17. Mid shot of judge
18. Wide pan of empty chairs in co-defendants area



Saddam Hussein's trial quickly fell into chaos shortly after it resumed on Sunday -- as one co-defendant was dragged out of the courtroom.

A defence lawyer was then ejected, and finally the former Iraqi leader himself was removed after shouting, "Down with the traitors!" and demanding to leave.

The new chief judge in the trial, Raouf Abdel-Rahman, had sought to show a tough control over the court, but the session - the first in a month - began to fall apart quickly.

Abdel-Rahman barked at a defence lawyer who tried to interrupt him to make a legal point during in the judge's opening statement.

The proceedings resumed with only four of the eight defendants present, and none of their original lawyers.

The court began hearing an anonymous female prosecution witness, who testified from behind a light blue curtain, as several earlier witnesses have done to protect them from reprisals.

The chaos began within 15 minutes of the session's start, Saddam's co-defendant Barzan Ibrahim stood and asked to address the court.

Abdel-Rahman, who had already shouted at one defence lawyer for interrupting, told him to be polite. Ibrahim called the court "the daughter of a whore."

At this point, the delayed television feed showing the proceedings was cut off. The video, which is control of the judges, resumed some time later, cutting out the removal of Ibrahim and the subsequent fight with the lawyers but showing the judge's arguments with Saddam.


As they scuffled, Saddam stood and shouted, "Down with the traitors. Down with America."










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