The Trial, Part 1
Yesterday the trial for Guy Eshelman began ... sort of...
If you've read INjustice in Albania in this blog then you will be aware of this trial and who Guy is so I won't go into that.
We arrived at the courthouse about 9:40 with a group of 10 or so missionaries. The trial was to begin at 10. Several missionaries were already there in addition to embassy representatives and others who came to support Guy. More arrived every few minutes until we were probably 25 or more. (There was another group who met at the AEP to pray for the trial at the same time.)
We all filed through a somewhat perfunctory security and were directed to a certain room. I just started to think about what the room would look to a stranger when we were told that the trial was being moved to another room. We all dutifully filed out of room #1 and into room #2 where we were searched a little more carefully this time. We were told to place any bags at the back of the room, including ladies' purses, and so we got all that sorted out. All of us settled in and I started observing the Albanian flag, the 3 large swivel chairs for the judges, the 2-headed eagle on the wall as the Albanian coat of arms and ... we were told that we needed to go to a different room. (Anybody surprised by this time? Me neither...) Pick up bags, find jackets, file out, file in, find a seat.
By this time I figured it was pointless to observe "the courtroom" because I figured we'd be moving again in a moment or 2. However, a few moments later a bailiff came in and told us all to stand and the judge came in. He rattled off some "officialese" for a few minutes (apparently opening the trial -- it was pretty incomprehensible) and then pulled out a paper. He announced that the prosecutor had presented a written request for a continuance because he was scheduled for another trial at the same time. The request was being honored and the trial would be continued on March 9 at 12:00.
(Hmm... Wasn't this known ahead of time? Couldn't we have saved all the rigamarole and the lost time and etc. with a quick phone call? Oh, well, I suppose that is how legal systems work everywhere...)
Interestingly the case the prosecutor was scheduled in was the case for the actual sex offenders who had volunteered at David Brown's home.
Anyway, Guy's lawyer made a very respectful protest that this sort of thing needed to be treated more seriously. Then we all stood and walked out. Thus ends part 1.
Pretty exciting, hey? :-)
If you've read INjustice in Albania in this blog then you will be aware of this trial and who Guy is so I won't go into that.
We arrived at the courthouse about 9:40 with a group of 10 or so missionaries. The trial was to begin at 10. Several missionaries were already there in addition to embassy representatives and others who came to support Guy. More arrived every few minutes until we were probably 25 or more. (There was another group who met at the AEP to pray for the trial at the same time.)
We all filed through a somewhat perfunctory security and were directed to a certain room. I just started to think about what the room would look to a stranger when we were told that the trial was being moved to another room. We all dutifully filed out of room #1 and into room #2 where we were searched a little more carefully this time. We were told to place any bags at the back of the room, including ladies' purses, and so we got all that sorted out. All of us settled in and I started observing the Albanian flag, the 3 large swivel chairs for the judges, the 2-headed eagle on the wall as the Albanian coat of arms and ... we were told that we needed to go to a different room. (Anybody surprised by this time? Me neither...) Pick up bags, find jackets, file out, file in, find a seat.
By this time I figured it was pointless to observe "the courtroom" because I figured we'd be moving again in a moment or 2. However, a few moments later a bailiff came in and told us all to stand and the judge came in. He rattled off some "officialese" for a few minutes (apparently opening the trial -- it was pretty incomprehensible) and then pulled out a paper. He announced that the prosecutor had presented a written request for a continuance because he was scheduled for another trial at the same time. The request was being honored and the trial would be continued on March 9 at 12:00.
(Hmm... Wasn't this known ahead of time? Couldn't we have saved all the rigamarole and the lost time and etc. with a quick phone call? Oh, well, I suppose that is how legal systems work everywhere...)
Interestingly the case the prosecutor was scheduled in was the case for the actual sex offenders who had volunteered at David Brown's home.
Anyway, Guy's lawyer made a very respectful protest that this sort of thing needed to be treated more seriously. Then we all stood and walked out. Thus ends part 1.
Pretty exciting, hey? :-)
Thanks for keeping us updated. We pray for the best.
ReplyDeleteThomas (the Moravian-Lutheran Church, Tirana)