When former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein wagged his finger and threatened death to any lawyers who spoke out during his trial, Vanderbilt law professor Mike Newton was there. When brave witnesses looked Saddam in the eye and told heart-wrenching stories of countless atrocities against the Iraqi people, Newton was there. And when Iraqi judges convicted and sentenced Saddam to death after the tribunal worked tirelessly to run a fair trial, Newton was there to teach and advise them.
Newton played a pivotal role in the creation of the Iraqi Special Tribunal that tried Saddam. He led the training for its judges and he continues to advise the tribunal today.
In a new book titled “Enemy of the State,” Newton and his co-author Michael Scharf give a historic recounting of the Saddam trial with a behind-the-scenes look inside the drama and tragedy surrounding it. Newton also offers a unique legal perspective, explaining the challenges of training and advising Iraqi judges as they integrated existing Iraqi law with previously unknown international war crimes and genocide laws.
“Saddam actively prevented them [Iraqi judges] from learning any international law or getting any exposure to the outside world,” said Newton. “The tyrant who’s committing crimes against humanity doesn’t want his judges learning crimes against humanity law.”
Newton said that one of the great myths of the trial was that Westerners controlled the process. He said it was an Iraqi trial from start to finish and that the tribunal took numerous steps to keep control of the courtroom and Saddam. Newton said that Saddam behaved very differently when the television cameras were on and when they were off. Newton said that Saddam would often address the judges with respect when the cameras were off. But as soon as Saddam knew he was being recorded, put on what Newton called a “show.”
“Saddam’s goal was very clear, to take control of the courtroom, show his power, dominate proceedings and create a perception of illegitimacy,” said Newton. “For him it was very much a public performance. It was all about image.”
To watch a full length interview with Newton and hear what he considered the most powerful part of the trial, click on the video box above.
Visit the book’s website here.
More about Mike Newton:
Newton has served in the Office of War Crimes Issues at the U.S. Department of State and was one of two U.S. delegates who negotiated the Elements of Crimes document for the International Criminal Court. He also coordinated the interface between the FBI and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and deployed into Kosovo to do forensics fieldwork to support the Milosevic indictment. He also served as the U.S. representative on the United Nations Planning Mission for the Sierra Leone Special Court and was a member of the Special Court academic consortium.
During his distinguished military career, Newton received more than two dozen decorations and served as an operational attorney in support of U.S. commanders. Prior to his retirement from active duty, he was senior adviser to the U.S. ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues, where he implemented a wide range of policies relating to international criminal law and the law of armed conflict. Newton is also a member of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law.
Media Contact: Amy Wolf, (615) 322-NEWS
amy.wolf@vanderbilt.edu