May 9: Ed DeLaney — War crimes and institutions of international justice
The creation of the International Criminal Court has established a new venue for investigating and prosecuting war crimes, despite a lack of U.S. participation. Will the non-participation of the U.S. weaken the power of the ICC? What challenges are faced by the ICC in punishing war criminals? Local legal legend Ed DeLaney explains.
When: Wednesday May 2 — talk 11-12, lunch 12:00-12:45
Where: North United Methodist Church, N. Meridian St. at 38th St. Indianapolis
The best person in town to lead a discussion of war crimes and international criminal justice is Ed DeLaney, one of Indiana’s most experienced trial lawyers. He has handled a wide array of cases for more than 30 years, trying cases throughout the US and in Europe. His principal areas of expertise are business disputes, securities law, estate-related controversies, First Amendment issues, and access to records litigation. He has been on the ground, building new legal systems with he cooperation and obstruction of the international legal community, and thus brings an utterly refreshing erspective to the question. So here are some questions you should expect Ed to answer: What should be the role of the International Criminal Court in prosecuting war crimes? How much should the US bind itself to the ICC? What does the internaitonal justice system do well, and what does it do poorly? Are Americans correct to worry that nternational law will trump US law, and thus that multilateral organizations such as he UN or the International Criminal Court will supplant the democratically elected overnment of the United States?
DeLaney has also been active in international trade work, especially relating to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. In the 1990s he used his international law experience in the Balkans, representing Bosnia in negotiations and helping establish the legal system in Kosovo. DeLaney has a B.A. and an M.A. in International Relations from the State University of New York at Binghamton. After serving in the United States Navy, he attended the Harvard Law School and graduated with Honors in 1973. At the end of 2003, he retired as a Partner from the firm of Barnes & Thornburg where he had practiced since 1973. In January 2005, Ed joined DeLaney & DeLaney.
It’s part of the Mid-North Shepherd Center’s Great decisions series. Questions? Contact 317-924-0959 or mnscenter@aol.com
For more information about war crimes and the ICC … read these provocative articles recommended by www.politicaltheory.info
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From
Bosnia, a magazine alleges former Bosnian Serb leader and top war crimes indictee Radovan Karadzic made a secret deal with the United States in May 1996 to spare him from prosecution in return for abandoning politics and withdrawing from public life. -
The International Court of Justice for the first time calls the massacre of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995 an act of genocide, but determined that Serbia itself was not guilty of the enormous crime.
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Justice delayed: Serbia has been cleared of genocide, but in the kangaroo court that passes for international diplomacy it was found guilty long ago.
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The international court has set an unrealistically high standard of proof for finding Serbia complicit in genocide.
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Naming names: The ICC names its first suspects for mass murder in Darfur.
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New Council of Foreign Relations fellow Angelina Jolie on justice for Darfur: What the worst people in the world fear most is justice. That’s what we should deliver.
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Testing times: The influence of the International Criminal Court is growing and the events of the next few weeks could be crucial for its future.
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Major sovereign powers should not be setting the world order, says Richard Falk. The
US, reinforced by the UN and the rule of law, needs to give way to global institutions and alliances. -
As the decision over the future of Kosovo approaches, tensions are growing in the western portion of the province. A return to violence is a distinct possibility. Meanwhile, a presumed war criminal remains in power with the blessing of the international community.
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The International Criminal Court is proving more robust than expected; even sceptical America is softening its line.
