Pacific McGeorge to Hold War Crimes Tribunal

August 26, 2004

For Immediate Release - August 26, 2004
Contact: Mike Curran, 916.739.7115

The University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law will hold a public panel, “Prosecuting and Defending War Crimes in International Tribunals,” at 3 p.m., Thursday, September 9 at the Gordon D. Schaber Law Library.

This panel discussion will explore the pursuit of justice in war crimes trials, examining such issues as evidentiary rules, procedures, and trial tactics in international tribunals.

Featured speakers include:

  • Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper, Office of War Crimes Issues, U.S. Department of State
  • Professor David Cohen, UC Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center
  • Russell Hayman, partner, McDermott Will & Emery, LLP, Los Angeles

Ambassador Prosper advises the Secretary of State and formulates American policy responses to atrocities committed in areas of conflict throughout the world. Since 9/11, he has represented the President in talks with several countries involving their nationals captured on battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also has primary responsibility for policy on Iraqi war crimes. He is a former war crimes prosecutor for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Professor Cohen directs an international research project on World War II war crimes trials in Asia, the Pacific and Europe. He monitored and reported on the east timor trials before the Serious Crimes Panel in Didi and the Ad Hoc Human Rights Court in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Hayman represents Croatian Army General Tihomir Blaskic whose trial before the International Tribunal was the first prosecution since World War II of a field commander for command responsibility for war crimes. Blaskic recently had his 45-year sentence reduced to nine years after new evidence was uncovered in a 1993 massacre of Bosnia Croats.

Pacific McGeorge Dean Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker will moderate the panel with Professors Linda Carter, Tim Naccarato, and John Sims serving as commentators. Each has an international criminal law background as a scholar or practitioner.

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