Campbell claims being in court was "a big inconvenience." Supermodel Naomi Campbell testified for prosecutors on Thursday in a war crimes case against former Liberian president Charles Taylor. Taylor allegedly gave an uncut blood diamond to Campbell in 1997 when they met for dinner in South Africa, according to Professor David Crane of Syracuse University. Crane told Voice of America, "The testimony itself is important because the prosecution wants to show that Charles Taylor has the mindset or what we call the mens rea to use the blood diamonds that were mined by Sierra Leoneans chained to pits in the Kailahun and Kenema area. And, he was using them for various reasons: to buy guns, to use cash to deposit, and also to buy influence." The Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague, The Netherlands ruled that no one may sketch, take photographs, or make videos of Campbell, due to her high profile. Photographers were barred from taking photos of Campbell entering or leaving the courthouse, but her testimony was recorded as usual.
Campbell claims being in court was "a big inconvenience." Supermodel testified for prosecutors on Thursday in a war crimes case against former Liberian president Charles Taylor. Taylor allegedly gave an uncut to Campbell in 1997 when they met for dinner in South Africa, according to Professor David Crane of Syracuse University. Crane told Voice of America, "The testimony itself is important because the prosecution wants to show that Charles Taylor has the mindset or what we call the to use the blood diamonds that were mined by Sierra Leoneans chained to pits in the Kailahun and Kenema area. And, he was using them for various reasons: to buy guns, to use cash to deposit, and also to buy influence." The for Sierra Leone in The Hague, The Netherlands ruled that no one may sketch, take photographs, or make videos of Campbell, due to her high profile. Photographers were barred from taking photos of Campbell entering or leaving the courthouse, but her testimony was recorded as usual.
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Naomi Campbell
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blood diamond
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mens rea
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Special Court