Pinochet immunity challenge fails

[Judi Lynn]

Last Updated: Wednesday, 22 October, 2003, 20:55 GMT 21:55 UK


Pinochet immunity challenge fails

By Clinton Porteous
BBC, Santiago


The Supreme Court in Chile has rejected an application that General Augusto Pinochet be stripped of immunity and tried over the killing of 10 Communist Party members in 1976.


Pinochet is said to be suffering from dementia
The ruling is further confirmation he is highly unlikely to face court over human rights violations.

General Pinochet led a 17-year military government which killed more than 3,000 political opponents.

The Supreme Court's decision follows a ruling last year in a different case where the court ruled the general was mentally unfit to defend himself. (snip/...)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3206119.stm

[mkregel]

1. Chile's 9/11 was the test-run for what we're getting here

Just a side note

God...I wish they could prosecute that bastard.

[Catholic Sensation]

2. 3000 is a fairly conservative estimate

5000 is probably more close to the actual number...

[number six]

3. dementia.... of course!

It's always dementia or some sort of indefinable yet trial halting illness when it comes round to old murderers like Pinochet. How terribly convenient.

[0007]

4. Does Henry Kissinger

suffer from the same disease?

[Laughing Mirror]

5. i don't know, but our own lovable gaga Reagan sure does

and how many human rights violations was he responsible for?

[bluestateguy]

6. He should be executed

Pinochet is a mass killer who deserves to be shot by firing squad, not spend the rest of his life in some country club in the Hague eating bacon and eggs for breakfast every day.

[emad]

7. Maybe he'll just die of embarassment when the Big Picture

about him is put into the public domain

[SoCalDem]

8. Isn't he a bit old for "Survivor"..???

Sorry.. could not resist... carry on :P

[tlb]

9. If he has already been ruled mentally incompetent for legal purposes

then this or any future challenges are simply grandstanding and wihtout legal basis. With or without immunity, assuming a proper legal system, any defendant in that condition cannot be placed in legal jeopardy.