March 3, 2003
The Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, David Crane, signs and files the indictment against Charles Taylor while he was sitting president of Liberia.
March 7, 2003
The Trial Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone confirms the indictment against Charles Taylor and orders it to remain under seal.
June 4, 2003
The Prosecutor unseals the indictment while Charles Taylor was attending peace talks with other African leaders in Ghana. African heads of state seek to convince Mr. Taylor to step down as president of Liberia in order to bring the Liberian conflict to a peaceful conclusion.
July 23, 2003
Lawyers on behalf of Charles Taylor file a Motion made under protest and without waiving of immunity accorded to a head of state President Charles Ghankay Taylor, requesting that the Trial Chamber quash the approved indictment of March 7, 2003.
July 28, 2003
The prosecution files a Response to the defense Motion to quash the indictment against Charles Taylor.
July 30, 2003
Defense lawyers for Charles Taylor file a Reply to the Prosecution’s Response to the Applicant’s Motion made under protest and without waiving of immunity accorded to a head of state President Charles Ghankay Taylor.
August 11, 2003
Charles Taylor steps down as president of Liberia and went into exile in Calabar, Nigeria.
December 4, 2003
Interpol issues a “Red Notice” (international arrest warrant) for Charles Taylor while he was an asylee in Calabar, Nigeria
May 31, 2004
The Appeals Chamber dismisses the Motion brought on behalf of Charles Taylor on July 23, 2003 that challenged his indictment on the grounds of sovereign immunity and extraterritoriality.
March 6, 2006
Prosecutors file a Motion for leave to amend the indictment against Charles Taylor
March 16, 2006
The Trial Chamber approves an amended indictment, reducing the counts in the indictment against Charles Taylor from 17 to 11.
March 29, 2006
Charles Taylor is apprehended by Nigerian authorities after a request for his arrest from Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. He is flown to Monrovia, where he was arrested by United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in Liberia. On the same day, he is transferred to the custody of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
April 3, 2006
Charles Taylor made his initial appearance before Special Court for Sierra Leone judges in Freetown. He pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
June 16, 2006
UN Security Council Resolution 1688 clears the way for Taylor to be tried in The Hague instead of Freetown, saying that his presence in the sub-region was “an impediment to stability and a threat to the peace”.
June 30, 2006
Charles Taylor was transferred to The Hague, where his trial would be conducted by Special Court for Sierra Leone judges.
June 4, 2007
The Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Steven Rapp, makes his opening statement in The Hague. Charles Taylor refuses to attend the trial and dismisses his legal team, saying that he did not have enough resources for the preparation of his defense. The trial is adjourned until new counsel was assigned to him.
January 7, 2008
Charles Taylor’s trial begins in earnest as the prosecution called its first witness to testify. The prosecution’s first witness was Ian Smillie, an expert witness on diamonds in the West African sub-region. Charles Taylor’s new team of lawyers, led by British practicing lawyer Courtenay Griffiths QC make their first appearance in court.
May 14, 2008
Charles Taylor’s former vice president Moses Blah commences his testimony as a witness for the prosecution. Mr. Blah was led in evidence by the then Chief Prosecutor Stephen Rapp.
May 15, 2008
Charles Taylor’s former Vice President, Moses Blah, testifies about the death/execution of RUF commander Sam Bockarie, allegedly by security forces loyal to Charles Taylor.
May 19, 2008
Charles Taylor’s defense counsel Courtenay Griffiths commences the cross-examination of former Liberian president Moses Blah.
May 21, 2008
Former Liberian President Moses Blah concludes his testimony as a witness for the prosecution.
January 30, 2009
The last prosecution witness, a double amputee, testifies about his ordeal in the hands of Sierra Leonean rebels during the January 1999 rebel invasion of the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown. In all, prosecutors led a total of 91 witnesses, 58 of whom were crime base witnesses, 29 insider (linkage) witnesses and four expert witnesses. In addition, written statements were admitted from four crime base witnesses and reports were admitted from two additional expert witnesses.
February 27, 2009
Prosecutors close their case against Charles Taylor.
April 7, 2009
Charles Taylor’s defense lawyers make an oral submission of “No Case to Answer or Motion for Judgment of Acquittal” to the judges stating prosecutors had failed to prove their case against Mr. Taylor.
April 11, 2009
Prosecutors make an oral response to the defense oral submission of “No Case to Answer/Motion for Judgment of Acquittal.”
May 4, 2009
The Trial Chamber dismisses in its entirety the defense application of “No Case to Answer/Motion for Judgment of Acquittal.”
July 13, 2009
The defense opens their case with an opening statement by Charles Taylor’s defense counsel, Courtenay Griffiths. Mr. Griffiths says that Mr. Taylor was not guilty of the charges against him and that the trial was a conspiracy by western countries, specifically the United States and the United Kingdom, to effect regime change in Liberia.
July 13, 2009
Charles Taylor takes the witness stand and commences his testimony as a witness in his own defense.
July 17, 2009
Charles Taylor in his testimony alleges CIA involvement in his jail break from a Massachusetts prison.
July 21, 2009
Charles Taylor testifies that he did not know about the establishment of the RUF, the rebel group that he is accused of helping to establish and supporting to wage war in Sierra Leone.
July 27, 2009
Charles Taylor testifies that the international community consented to his contacts with the RUF while he was president of Liberia. He said that all such contact was geared towards bringing peace to Sierra Leone.
July 31, 2009
Charles Taylor in his testimony accuses the United Nations of linking him with RUF rebels in Sierra Leone.
September 30, 2009
Charles Taylor calls allegations against him as “racist” and says that his trial is part of a regime change policy by Western countries.
November 10, 2009
Defense counsel Courtenay Griffiths concludes the direct-examination of Charles Taylor. Lead prosecutor Brenda Hollis immediately commences the cross-examination of Mr. Taylor.
December 1, 2009
Judges grant a prosecution request to use new evidence in the cross-examination of Charles Taylor. Such new evidence, the judges say, must be disclosed to the defense before their use in court.
December 7, 2009
The court takes an early Christmas break as judges grant the defense more time to study the documents disclosed as new evidence by prosecutors for the cross-examination of Charles Taylor.
January 11, 2010
Prosecutors resume the cross-examination of Charles Taylor.
February 5, 2010
Prosecutors conclude the cross-examination of Charles Taylor.
February 15, 2010
Defense lawyers commence the re-examination of Mr. Taylor.
February 19, 2010
Charles Taylor concludes his testimony as a witness in his own defense, telling the judges that prosecutors have not proved their case against him.
February 22, 2010
Charles Taylor’s first defense witness, a Gambian national who obtained Liberian citizenship Mr. Yanks Smythe, commences his testimony.
Source: Open Justice Initiative
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