AP: Judge says Pinochet will not be tried

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Tue, Oct. 25, 2005

AP: Judge says Pinochet will not be tried

BRADLEY BROOKS
Associated Press

NEW YORK - The man most responsible for trying to bring former Chilean dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet to trial said he now thinks the one-time strongman will never pay for his alleged crimes.

"If he's been declared incompetent by justices in human rights trials, I don't see how these same courts will declare him competent for economic trials," Juan Guzman, a Chilean judge appointed to take charge of the investigation, told The Associated Press on Monday.

Guzman's comments reflect a lingering pessimism in Chile that the former dictator will be held to account for alleged crimes committed under his 1973-90 regime, during which more than 3,100 people were killed or "disappeared."Guzman has twice indicted Pinochet on human rights abuse charges and twice placed him under house arrest.
(snip)

Guzman - who retired earlier this year and last week received a human rights award in Washington - said Pinochet's strategy at avoiding trial is odd for a man who has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence in any of the massive human rights abuses that occurred during his regime.
(snip/...)

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/12991560.htm
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[carnie_sf]

1. Another sad sad chapter

in the history of American foreign policy. At least as bad as our support of Saddam.

[K-W]

2. That headline confused me.

At first I thought this was a ruling.

Unfortunately I share his pessamism.