Judges sentence Charles Taylor to 50 years
Getty Images
Posted: 05/30/2012
LEIDSCHENDAM, Netherlands (AP) - Judges at an international war crimes court have sentenced former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison following his landmark conviction for supporting rebels in Sierra Leone who murdered and mutilated thousands during their country's brutal civil war in return for blood diamonds.
The Special Court for Sierra Leone found Taylor guilty last month on 11 charges of aiding and abetting the rebels who went on a bloody rampage during the decade-long war that ended in 2002 with more than 50,000 dead.
Presiding Judge Richard Lussick says the crimes Taylor was convicted of were of the "utmost gravity in terms of scale and brutality."
The 64-year-old warlord-turned-president is the first former head of state convicted by an international war crimes court since World War II.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
PRINT
World News
-
Britain horrified at soldier's slaying
Two men accused of butchering a British soldier had featured in previous investigations by security services, a British official said Thursday, as investigators searched several locations and tried to determine whether the men were part of a wider plot to instill terror on the streets of London.
-
London attack could be terror-related
-
Vatican releases watchdog's 1st report
-
Diplomats: Iran expands nuke technology
-
Octogenarians race to climb Everest
-
North Korea sends special envoy to China
-
Is Pope Francis an exorcist?
Top Stories
-
Lafley takes over for retiring P&G CEO
Is a surprising move, Procter & Gamble announced late Thursday that A.G. Lafley is replacing retiring chairman and CEO Bob McDonald. Lafely is taking over immediately.
-
I-Team: Emails describe IRS 'criteria'
-
Boy Scouts to allow openly gay Scouts
-
Consumer Reports top rated gas grills
-
UC police arrest two robbery suspects
