WORLD IN BRIEF | July 7, 2012
BERLIN (AP) — A German Jewish newspaper reports that a Jewish First World War veteran apparently was spared deportation to a Nazi death camp due to an intervention by Adolf Hitler.
The quarterly Jewish Voice reports that a newly discovered letter appears to show Hitler wanted Erich Hess to be spared persecution because the two had served in the same unit in the First World War. Hess died in 1983.
The newspaper says the letter from the SS paramilitary organization was discovered in official archives containing files the Nazi secret police, or Gestapo, kept on Jewish lawyers and judges.
Historian Susanne Mauss, who found the letter, told The Associated Press on Friday its authenticity is corroborated by other documents, including one owned by Hess’ daughter Ursula.
Six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust under Hitler’s rule.
Suspect’s lawyers question jury process
FORT HOOD, Texas (CP) — Attorneys for the army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting rampage are questioning the jury screening process in his murder trial.
Maj. Nidal Hasan’s attorneys on Friday said they want to interview Fort Hood’s commanding general and staff judge advocate separately about their initial screening process for potential jurors.
The judge, Col. Gregory Gross, is allowing defence attorneys to question the two officials together.
Gross on Friday denied a defence request for information about all soldiers who didn’t end up in the jury pool.
Potential jurors will come from Fort Hood and other army posts.
The court martial is to start Aug. 20 on the Texas army post.
Hasan faces the death penalty if convicted of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder.
Chinese father demands justice after abortion
BEIJING (AP) — A lawyer says the father of a forcibly aborted baby wants the Chinese officials responsible to face criminal prosecution.
Zhang Kai says Deng Jiyuan, a villager from central China’s Shaanxi province, also is seeking unspecified compensation.
Deng’s wife was forced to undergo an abortion seven months into her pregnancy because the family could not afford a 40,000 yuan ($6,300) fine for having a second child, which violated China’s tough one-child policy.
The June incident caused a public uproar, and Chinese authorities have since apologized. Two officials were fired, and five more were sanctioned last week.
Zhang said Friday that he has sent a legal request on Deng’s behalf, asking local police and prosecutors to investigate criminal infractions in the case.
Haitian judge frees American protesters
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A judge in Haiti has released two Americans who were locked up in prison for almost two months for their alleged role in a pro-army demonstration.
Judge Bredy Fabien says the charges against Jason William “Zeke” Petrie and Steven Parker were dropped because there wasn’t enough proof.
But Fabien says the release is conditional and the two need to be available for further questioning if needed.
The two were initially charged with conspiracy on May 18 after they allegedly drove a group of hopeful soldiers pushing for the disbanded army’s return. That charge was later dismissed and they were charged with criminal association and attempted murder.
Petrie and Shaw were let go Friday following a hearing with the judge at the courthouse.