Legal Research

Transparency Still an Issue in U.S. Editor Trial

By turquhart

Last week in Moscow, the trial of two men accused of killing a U.S. editor resumed behind closed doors after the presiding judge in the January 10th start date trial fell ill and was replaced. According to ISN Security Watch, the faint judge, Komarova, ?is known for handing down tough sentences in high-profile cases.? The new judge replaced the jury and also denied a defense request to have proceedings open to the public.

Paul Klebnikov, the editor of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine, was gunned down outside the magazine?s offices in July 2004. It is suggested that a critical book Mr. Klebnikov wrote after interviewing former Chechen mob boss turned notorious separatist, Khozh Akhmed Nukhayev, motivated the attack. This claim is not supported by the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says that attacks like the one that ended Mr. Klebnikov?s life are rarely solved. In fact, this list lends credence to their claim.

ISN Security Watch reports that an attorney for the defense in the Klebnikov trial said that the case was to be off limits to the public because of "the inclusion of four pages, in the 38 case volumes, describing the secret methods used by the Federal Security Service to collect evidence against defendants.? Mr. Klebnikov was working against such things; he was working for openness and transparency in Russian civil life.

Posted by Toni Urquhart

Full post as published by FSU College of Law Library Blog on February 21, 2006 (boomark / email).