Some justice prevails

Rwanda's Bagosora sentenced to life for genocide

The Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) had accused Theoneste Bagosora, 67, of being in charge of the troops and Interahamwe Hutu militia who butchered 800,000 minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 100 days [emphasis mine].

The last chapter in the Von Bülow case, but the mystery remains

Those of you in your twenties or even early thirties will not remember the celebrated trial of Claus von Bülow, who was first convicted and then acquitted of trying to kill his wife with insulin injections after she was found unresponsive--she was found in 1980, after all. But I do, since as you've no doubt figured out, I have a fascination for murder and mystery, and I suppose I did even as a teenager, although I didn't read mysteries back then.

Martha Crawford Von Bülow--called Sunny--an heiress, died today after almost 28 years in a coma. I can scarcely imagine spendng nearly half of one's life in such a state.

Their daughter, Cosima, is my age. She was initially disinherited by her maternal grandmother for siding with her father in the case, but was supposed to be reinstated after Mr Von Bülow renounced any claim on his wife's money. She still had to spend three years litigating the case to receive her share of the inheritance.

Mr Bülow's guilt or innocence was hotly debated at the time and tore the family apart, with the two children from Mrs Von Bülow's first marriage encouraging prosecution. It was not quite as celebrated as the OJ Simpson murder trial, but it was in the news quite a lot. The second trial presented the defence that no insulin was injected (the needle had insulin on the outside, but not the inside, according to his Wikipedia article) and that her symptoms of confusion and altered mental state, then coma, fit an injested drug overdose combined with alcohol. (A few weeks before her final coma, for example, there were over 60 aspirins found in her stomach, which would indicate her mental state). Also, she had bouts of depression, despite seeming to have a perfect life from the point of view of many. And records eventually released showed the Von Bülow did not favour taking his wife off of life support as was alleged.

But there were two trials. An appeal was granted, but a great deal of the evidence that was presented in the first trial (in which he was convicted) was held back in the second (in which he was acquitted).

I don't know if we'll ever know what really happened between the Von Bülows, the family, the maid (a major witness), etc. Claus Von Bülow and his daughter both live in London now, and their lives have gone on.

But Mrs Von Bülow's's life for all intents and purposes ended that day right before Christmas in 1980 when she was found unresponsive. That she lived on for nearly 30 years is amazing, but it's sad that this is how things turned out. She essentially became a footnote to a historical trial. But I'm sure those close to her will mourn and remember her, as it should be. But some of us ordinary folks remember to, and can sympathise over the situation, even though we do not understand the life lived by princesses and heiresses.

For a detailed look at the Von Bülow case, check out the Crime Library's article. Most of what I've given here is from Wikipedia, but this examines the evidence in greater detail and goes through the specifics of the two trials.

I've been following this story for awhile and I'm glad it had a good conclusion

Bulgarian Nurses Home After Eight-Year Ordeal

Home at last, after eight years of hell in a foreign prison

For more on the HIV Trial in Libya, check out Wikipedia's article.

Jailed on charges that they had instigated a CIA- and Mossad- (the Israeli equivalent) inspired plot to infect over 400 children at a hospital in Libya (despite the fact that the epidemic started before most of them came to the country, and most were probably singled out because of their country's relations with the US and others that opposed Qaddafi's regime), these nurses and trainee doctor were sentenced to death not once but twice, allegedly tortured including by electrocution, and at least one intimated that rape had been a tactic. The doctor apparently lost an eye, one woman's face is paralysed, and another tried to commit suicide to escape the interrogations that brought false confessions. Now they have been released due to a great deal of diplomacy on the part of the European Union and various countries, pressure from international groups and organisations, and perhaps (it's somewhat controverisal) an intervention by the wife of the French President. Even Qaddafi's own son Saif al-Islam al-Qaddafi, played a vital role in the negotiations on behalf of the medics. The nurses are Bulgarian; the Aegyptian-born Palestinian doctor was granted Bulgarian citizenship last month, and all were pardoned by the Bulgarian President shortly after arriving in Sofia. So in a sense it's a happy ending, as they reunite with families. But they've had eight brutal years that have changed their lives forever. I wish them well.

Meanwhile, the devastation from that epidemic, ruled due to bad hygiene such as running needles under the tap, continues to mount. Of the 400 or so children infected, over 50 have died. Part of the negotiations included settlements to the government and to the families for the care of these children. Several are being treated in France and Italy. I wish them all that life has to offer as well.