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Trump’s own words used to build case against him

US prosecutors built their case against former President Donald Trump using his own words and notes from his lawyers. The indictment accuses Trump of hoarding classified documents and endangering national security.

It relies heavily on statements made by Trump, including instances where he disclosed confidential information to individuals without security clearances. Trump’s meetings with his lawyers are also recounted, with notes suggesting an effort to mislead investigators. Trump is set to appear in a federal court in Miami.

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WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — US prosecutors who indicted Donald Trump used his own words — and notes jotted down by his lawyers — to build the historic case against the former president.

The 49-page indictment unsealed last week accuses Trump of endangering US national security by hoarding top secret nuclear and defense documents after leaving the White House.

The indictment from special counsel Jack Smith relies heavily on statements made by Trump himself to make the legal case against the 45th US president.

It recounts one instance in which Trump described a Pentagon “plan of attack” on a US rival nation to a writer, publisher and two staff members, none of whom held security clearances.

Trump allegedly told them during the audio-recorded meeting at his golf club in New Jersey that the plan was ‘highly confidential’ and ‘secret,'” the indictment says.

Trump is quoted as telling them “As president I could have declassified it” and “Now I can’t, you know, but this is still secret.”

The target of the attack is identified in the indictment only as “Country A.” According to US media, the nation involved was Iran.

The indictment also uses Trump’s own words to establish that he was aware — even before winning the 2016 presidential election — of the importance of safeguarding classified information.

“In my administration, I’m going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information,” the then-Republican presidential candidate said in August 2016. “No one will be above the law.”

And as president, the indictment notes, Trump issued a statement in July 2018 stressing his “unique, Constitutional responsibility to protect the Nation’s classified information.”

‘Don’t play ball’

The indictment also recounts meetings between Trump and two of his lawyers — identified as Attorney 1 and Attorney 2 — to implicate him in an effort to mislead investigators seeking the return of documents taken from the White House to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

According to notes kept by Attorney 1 during a meeting held to discuss how to respond to a May 2022 grand jury subpoena, Trump said: “What happens if we just don’t respond at all or don’t play ball with them?

“I don’t want anybody looking through my boxes, I really don’t,” Trump reportedly said. “Wouldn’t it be better if we just told them we don’t have anything here?”

The dozens of boxes containing documents with Top Secret, Secret and Confidential markings were stashed at Mar-a-Lago in locations including a ballroom, a bathroom, a storage room and Trump’s bedroom.

According to the indictment, they were moved around at Trump’s direction by the former president’s personal assistant, Walt Nauta, a US Navy veteran who also faces charges as a co-conspirator.

Trump, the first former US president to face federal charges, is accused of “willful retention of national defense information,” punishable by up to 10 years in prison, conspiracy to obstruct justice, making false statements and other offenses.

The 76-year-old Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is to make a first appearance in a federal court in Miami on Tuesday.

— AFP

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AFP

Singapore hangs 14th drug convict since last year

Singapore executed Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, convicted of drug trafficking, amid a resumption of executions in 2022. Another woman prisoner, Saridewi Djamani, faces execution.

Amnesty International urged Singapore to halt the executions, questioning the deterrent effect of the death penalty.

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1 year ago

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26 July 2023

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SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE — Singapore on Wednesday hanged a local man convicted of drug trafficking, officials said, two days before the scheduled execution of the first woman prisoner in the city-state in nearly 20 years.

Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, convicted and sentenced to death in 2017 for trafficking “not less than 49.98 grams” (1.76 ounces) of heroin, was executed at Changi Prison, the Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement.

The 57-year-old was the 14th convict sent to the gallows since the government resumed executions in March 2022 after a two-year pause during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hussain’s previous appeals against his conviction and sentence had been dismissed, and a petition for presidential clemency was also denied.

A woman drug convict, 45-year-old Saridewi Djamani, is scheduled to be hanged on Friday, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC).

She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin.

If carried out, Djamani would be the first woman executed in Singapore since 2004, when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, according to TJC activist Kokila Annamalai.

Singapore has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws — trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis or over 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty.

Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Tuesday urged Singapore to halt the executions, saying there was no evidence the death penalty acted as a deterrent to crime.

“It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control,” Amnesty death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement.

Singapore, however, insists that the death penalty has helped make it one of Asia’s safest countries.

Among those hanged since last year was Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, whose execution sparked a global outcry, including from the United Nations and British tycoon Richard Branson, because he was deemed to have a mental disability.

— AFP

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AFP

Singapore to execute first woman in nearly 20 years: rights groups

Singapore set to execute two drug convicts, including first woman in 20 years, despite rights groups’ calls to stop.

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1 year ago

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25 July 2023

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SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE — Singapore is set to hang two drug convicts this week, including the first woman to be sent to the gallows in nearly 20 years, rights groups said Tuesday, while urging the executions be halted.

Local rights organisation Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) said a 56-year-old man convicted of trafficking 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of heroin is scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday at the Southeast Asian city-state’s Changi Prison.

A 45-year-old woman convict who TJC identified as Saridewi Djamani is also set to be sent to the gallows on Friday. She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin.

If carried out, she would be the first woman to be executed in Singapore since 2004 when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, said TJC activist Kokila Annamalai.

TJC said the two prisoners are Singaporeans and their families have received notices setting the dates of their executions.

Prison officials have not answered emailed questions from AFP seeking confirmation.

Singapore imposes the death penalty for certain crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping.

It also has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty.

At least 13 people have been hanged so far since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Tuesday urged Singapore to halt the impending executions.

“It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control,” Amnesty’s death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement.

“There is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs.

“As countries around the world do away with the death penalty and embrace drug policy reform, Singapore’s authorities are doing neither,” Sangiorgio added.

Singapore insists that the death penalty is an effective crime deterrent.

— AFP

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