Trial in Georgia Draws to a Close

This report is an urgent update on violations in a criminal trial of 19 men charged with crimes carrying the penalty of death, and was issued as the trial drew to a close after 16 months in court. In a detailed report released in August 1994 (see D611), we compiled the evidence that some, and likely all, of the defendants in case no. 7493810 confessed guilt under torture and intimidation and were subsequently denied basic due process rights. Since the first report was issued, one defendant was still being tortured in jail and 12 of the defendants were prevented from attending their own trial. Of those absent from the courtroom, only 4 were represented by lawyers of their choosing; most were denied the right to counsel altogether.

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