Enemy of the State: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein
Law professors Newton and Scharf recount their involvement in the trial of Saddam Hussein, from the Iraqis' iconic removal of the statue of Saddam Hussein in Firdus Square in April 2003 to the deposed leader's chaotic hanging. Newton and Scharf helped write the rules of the Iraqi High Tribunal for the trial, giving them an insiders' view of the case. They candidly summarize the difficulties posed to courts and lawyers intent on bringing Hussein's crimes to light and exposing him to fair and unbiased judgment. Most illuminating is the day-by-day recounting of the tensest period of the trial, in a chapter aptly titled Disorder in the Courtroom. They admit that the trial was both revolutionary in its aspiration and at times rudimentary in its applications. Readers interested in the future of global jurisprudence will find much to ponder in this frank and detailed account.(Sept.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.