[Omen]

Anyone following the trial?

Charles Taylor, ex Liberian president on trial at the Hague for war crimes.

Anyway, to cut straight to the testimonies of Naomi Campbell, Carole White, (her then manager), and actress Mia Farrow, I made the follwing observation:

Carole White said there were 5 or 6 diamonds. The head of the children's charity they were given to, Jeremy Ratcliffe, says he received 3, (and reluctantly received them as he did not want them, according to Ms White).

So what happened to the 2 or 3 others which Jeremy Ratcliffe hasn't got/didn't receive?

Ms White said Ms Campbell wanted to keep the diamonds, but was persuaded by Ms White to give them away, (because it is illegal to take diamonds out of South Africa).

I believe Ms Campbell's plan on the morning of the breakfast with Ms Farrow was to keep all but one of the diamonds, hence Ms Farrow's testimony that Ms Campbell said Mr Taylor had given her ONE (huge/large) diamond.

Later, Ms Campbell gave 3 of the diamonds to Mr Ratcliffe. (And smuggled the rest up her chuff through customs).

That's my theory. I was watching and listening to the trial all day.

[Omen]

Anyway, this is like a trial within a trial, the trial was over about a year ago and the verdict under consideration, only for the trial to be reopened to hear this particular accusation; ie that here was proof - a connection between Charles Taylor and the so-called blood diamonds. He had given diamonds to Naomi Campbell 13 years ago. She had the misfortune to brag about it in front of pro-African human rights activist, Mia Farrow, the morning after. Mia Farrow brought her knowledge to the attention of the prosecution, last year when learning of Charles Taylor's trial and the significance of that chance encounter all those years ago dawned on her -

that is, if Charles Taylor could be directly linked to the blood diamonds, the case against him (of crimes against humanity) could be significantly strengthened.

There were 3 witnesses, all called by the prosecution. 2 of them volunteered to come to the Hague, (in the interest of justice), Carole White and Mia Farrow. The third witness, Naomi Campbell, had to be compelled to come.

The defence's job was to break the link the prosecution were trying to assert between the diamonds and Charles Taylor; ie, that it could not be established beyond resonable doubt (blah blah blah) that the diamonds given to Naomi Campbell came from Charles Taylor. Only Naomi Campbell assisted their (defence) case by saying she didn't know who gave them to her, and that it was others who told her it must have been Charles Taylor. She'd be called in a courtroom drama a hostile witness for the prosecution,there at their behest, their witness, but really acting for the defence.

The upshot of the 3 witness testimonies is that it has become all too apparent that one (or more) of them is telling whoppers. And all but the cliically stupid know which one of them is.

So tho not being on trial in any legal sense, Naomi Campbell has just has just been trialed and found guilty in the court of public opinion.

The kindest slant on her actions is she's in fear of Taylor, but the other 2 weren't; are they braver?

The whole thing seemed pointless wrt the real trial, as noone could be in any doubt who gave her the diamonds. The authorities got the diamonds back from he man who's had them since 1997, and if they can prove where they were mined - the source of them, then that's Taylor linked to them and that little sub-trial in the trial more or less proven.

So what's the verdict on Ms Campbell? That she committed perjury? That she's morally bankrupt, a coward, or both? And what about the discrepancy between the 5-8 diamonds she allegedly received and the 3 the head of the children's charity got? (Unless he nicked them?)

I don't think she even knew what blood diamonds were back in 1997, most people have only heard that term in relation to this trial, I believe.

Her crime is wanting to stay quiet and keep out of it, and maybe more? Might ruin her image, because though it was convoluted, most people will just remember Naomi Campbell and blood diamonds.

(Not since OJ has court TV been so good. It's all over now, bar the i's and t's. Pity it was so short and sweet)

[ange7]

It's about selling arms to Burkina Faso isn't it...and getting paid in blood diamonds. Taylor claims that he wasn't in Burkina Faso before going to South Africa... prosecution says yeah you were and your pockets were full of diamonds man!. Naomi was just a side show of a trial that has been going on for ages.

[Omen]

Originally Posted by ange7

It's about selling arms to Burkina Faso isn't it...and getting paid in blood diamonds. Taylor claims that he wasn't in Burkina Faso before going to South Africa... prosecution says yeah you were and your pockets were full of diamonds man!. Naomi was just a side show of a trial that has been going on for ages.

Yeah, was it Sierra Leone or Burkina Faso, I thought Sierra Leone was mentioned. He was paying for arms used in wherever with these diamonds. It's like a money trail to him I suppose. Tbh, hadn't more than a the tiniest knowledge about it, and still don't. The world's media has ignored this trial. This bit of it though has been fascinating.

[ange7]

oh the Naomi bit? Yeah ... she wasn't happy. "I've get better things to do" ( or similar) line was funny.
This court is the same thing that judged Milosovic from Serbia. Dictators don't like them I'm guessing.