1,100 Lawyers Leave Saddam Defense Team

Over 1000 lawyers have left the Saddam defence team citing a lack of security after two lawyers were found dead. While it did not say if the chief attorney was quiting, this is an interesting devleopment.

Why does he need 1000+ lawyers, I mean how can they get anything done?

Is this just a delaying ploy by the defence to stall out the trial and raise a spectere of an unfair trial?

Some 1,100 Iraqi lawyers have withdrawn from Saddam Hussein's defense team, citing insufficient protection following the slayings of two peers representing co-defendants of the ousted Iraqi leader.

In a statement obtained Sunday, the lawyers did not say whether Saddam's chief Iraqi attorney, Khalil al-Dulaimi, was among those who withdrew. But the statement said other members of the team in Baghdad were continuing their duties "under complex and dangerous circumstances."

Support lawyers for Saddam's team in Jordan were not immediately available for comment.
sfgate.com.../n/a/2005/11/13/international/i064415S54.DTL

[edit on 11/13/05 by FredT]

Originally posted by FredT

Why does he need 1000+ lawyers, I mean how can they get anything done?

1,000 heads are better than one. but dats just my view. after seeing many laywers defending very known people like OJ Simpson or Michael Jackson.

So much for strength in numbers.

I hate to laugh about this, but how does one coordinate a defense with 1000 lawyers? Who is paying for all these laywers? How did they find 1000 lawyers willing to take this case in the first place?

That might be the scariest question of all.

Wait a minute - other members of the team are continuing their duties??? How many are there?

Thats what I was thinking. I mean its a Zoo by any definition. Once you factor in the ancillary staff for thses guys, we are talking a small army here. Im betting that a lawyer in Iraq is not billing 250-400 a hour though, but may be a bit rusty after the I am Saddam and my words are law era.

Yeh, i wouldn't mind knowing WHO is paying those 1,000 lawyers.

And 1,000 lawyers walk away from one of the biggest legal trials of the century, and FOX dosen't say a word?

Why am I not suprised?

They all left to pursue their life long dreams...of dying of natural causes.

They need at least a thousand; after they lose the first trial they will behead 500. And that will leave 500 for the appeal…

But I do hear that a lawyer can live up to 5 weeks without their heads….