I arrived for the afternoon session of the day’s proceedings at which time a Border Protection Officer was on the stand being asked questions by one of the federal prosecutors. He was being asked about the contents of Mr. Emmanuel’s (the defendant’s) luggage. When the prosecutor finished her questioning of the officer the defense attorney quickly asked the officer several questions in regards the luggage taken into custody at the airport when Chucky Taylor was arrested.
Next Special Agent Baechtle of the Department of Homeland Security came to the stand. He identified himself as an ICE case agent. The Agent flew into Miami from D.C. to await the defendant’s arrival into Miami International Airport. He was to meet with another agent who had a warrant for the arrest of the defendant. On March 30, 2006 the defendant arrived into Miami from Trinidad. The Agent asked Mr. Emmanuel if he would speak with him. The defendant agreed and they made small talk on the way to the immigration booth. Then they went to baggage claim and the defendant’s baggage was turned over to Mr. Smith. Next Agent Baechtle, Special Agent Mallone, and the defendant went into the customs office where Mr. Emmanuel was advised of his rights and that he was subject to a federal arrest warrant.
From the time that Mr. Emmanuel was taken into custody at the airport and in the customs office he was not restrained or handcuffed. The Agent testified that normal procedure when arresting someone at an airport with a warrant is for the CBP to handcuff the individual being put under arrest. However, since Taylor had agreed to talk with them before they got a waiver of that process.
The interview in the customs office lasted approximately three hours. Prior to questioning the defendant was informed of his Miranda rights and signed a waiver of rights form. The Agent told the court of his interview with Mr. Emmanuel aka Chucky Taylor. He said that the defendant stated that his name was Charles Macarthur Emmanuel and was born in Boston, Massachusetts. The Agent had asked the defendant if he had ever used or had any other names to which he replied that in school he used Roy Belfast but he did not say anything about Charles Taylor Junior or Chucky Taylor. The defendant told the Agent that his mother was born in Trinidad and lived in Orlando, Florida. He said he had been in Trinidad working for the past several years. When asked about his biological father Charles Taylor, he was asked if his father was the former president of Liberia to which he said “You’re making a jump.” But later nodded yes in response. On the passport application he thought he put down Daniel Smith as his father’s name. The Agent asked why and he said he thought his “pops” used that name a while back in Massachusetts. His biological father was born in Africa but on the passport application he said that he thought he put down St. Vincent, an island in the Caribbean.
The defendant said that he first went to Liberia in 1992, when he was 15 years old. He went for three months. It was the first time since he was 3 years old that he had seen his biological father Charles Taylor. His father was head of the NPFL and his title was Unit 100. Unit 100 meant he was the head. His father was living in Banga at the Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI). He was there during the buildup of “Octopus.” Banga was the headquarters of NPFL at that time.
On the defendant’s second trip to West Africa he went to Ghana and met his father there several times. He was there for 4 or 5 months. Then went back to Liberia about 9 months prior to moving with his father to Monrovia in around 1995. He said he primarily lived in West Africa from 1994-2000. While there he learned how to strip down an AK-47.
There was a peace deal signed and an interim government put into place in Monrovia which is when him and his father moved to Monrovia. He said he started going to school at the College of West Africa. The defendant told the Agent that he fought with Edwin Snow, his brother-in-law and because of the fight he had a disagreement with this father and his dad put him in jail for 2 weeks.
In 1997 his father was elected President after which the defendant got involved in the rubber and timber industry. After the election his father was guarded by the SSS (Special Security Service) headed by Benjamin Yeaten. The defendant denied being a member of the SSS or of any unit but was privy to their activities. He did say that he was involved and responsible for the construction of Gbatala base which was a training base for the ATU (Anti-Terrorist Unit). He likened the ATU to the US Secret Service. The function was as the presidential security force. The ATU comprised of the toughest fighters out there who had 5 to 6 years of fighting or war experience. He said he was considered to be the commander of the ATU and had an advisory role. He had 9 ATU bodyguards that he commanded. After 2000 a man named Momojiba was the commander of the ATU. Before 2000 it was the defendant’s “Pet Project.”
There was an incident where Chucky Taylor’s driver had damaged his car after which the defendant ordered his ATU bodyguards to arrest and detain the driver. The bodyguards took matters into their own hands and beat him to death. He had overzealous bodyguards who sometimes did things that were “out of line.” His father supposedly wasn’t happy with some of the actions taken by the defendant’s bodyguards. The defendant carried a glock .1 at all times. He told the Agent that he only used it on the firing range and denied ever shooting anyone else. He also denied ordering to shoot anyone else. He said he ordered the ATU to have people arrested or detained but never ordered for them to torture. He also said he was never on the front lines. He told the Agent that he never saw the ATU shoot anyone directly. Never ordered anyone to cut or chop anyone else. When asked what the worst behavior he saw an ATU soldier do was he said a slap with an open hand.
He said he was present when Yeaton arrested a “press guy” and saw him get beaten and burned with an iron. He denied taking part in the “torture.”
The defendant went on his honeymoon to Trinidad and Tobago and when he returned to Liberia the relation between him and his father worsened. There was continued disagreement over bringing ATU together with SSS and EMSSU.
From 2000-03 Momojiba was commander of the ATU. Momojiba got orders from Charles Taylor. During that time frame the defendant still had ATU bodyguards. He believed that the ATU began to get involved in human rights abuses after 2000. Said he left ATU in 2000 and ceased his advisory role. The defendant said he was being framed by his enemies. His father didn’t know he was leaving Liberia.
Agent said in May 2007 he went to Sweden and spoke with one witness in a police building in Stockholm. He showed the witness some photos and asked if he recognized any of the men in the photos. In the photo spread of 6 pictures he identified one picture as being of the defendant.
Then court broke for the day.
0 Responses to “Thursday Afternoon Oct. 16”