[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

30100: Blanchet (news) [Fwd: JUSTICE IN MIAMI! HAITIAN COLONEL ORDERED TO PAY $4.3 MILLION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES] (fwd)




From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>



   Dear Friends of CJA,

   We are pleased to announce that on Friday, after a four day trial, a
   federal jury in Miami found Colonel Carl Dorélien, former member of
   the Haitian High Command, liable for torture, extrajudicial killing,
   arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity suffered by
   plaintiffs Lexiuste Cajuste, Marie Jeanne Jean and Ms. Jean’s two
   young children. Colonel Dorélien was ordered to pay a total of $4.3
   million to the plaintiffs in compensatory and punitive damages.

   Special congratulations and thanks to our heroic clients and their
   families; the Haitian community of Miami; co-counsel Dwayne
   Williams, Leon Fresco, Stephen Hanlon and Joyce Dooley-Rodriguez of
   Holland & Knight,
   LLP; co-counsel John Thornton; witnesses Colonel Jose Luis Garcia,
   Dr. Karen Burns, Dr. Robert Shannon, Brian Concannon and Mario
   Joseph; CJA Legal Interns Jeff Graham, Christine Keller and Alicia
   Adornato; CJA assistant in Haiti and at trial, Daniel Tillias;
   therapist Sandra Zakowski; interpreters CreoleTrans and Francis
   Icaza; and, of course, CJA attorneys Matt Eisenbrandt and Moira
   Feeney. Below is a copy of the press release that was issued late
   Friday.

   This case represents the first time that a U.S. jury has held a
   former member of the Haitian military responsible for the widespread
   human rights abuses that were committed by the military against the
   civilian population during the dictatorship that was in power from
   1991 through 1994.

   All the best,

   Pamela Merchant
   Executive Director

   PS: CJA relies on contributions from individuals like you to
   continue our work. Please consider making a donation today at
   http://www.cja.org/donate/donate.shtml
   <ttp://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=g6qfc6bab.0.7sc8kwbab.z5aocvbab.2900&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cja.org%2Fdonate%2Fdonate.shtml%22>.*
   ___________________________________________________**
   **
   **
   **For Immediate Release**
   **February 23, 2007**
   **
   **Contacts:**
   **Center for Justice & Accountability**
   **Moira Feeney, Staff Attorney, mfeeney@cja.org
   <ailto:mfeeney@cja.org%22>, (415) 544-0444 x302**
   **Pamela Merchant, Executive Director, pmerchant@cja.org
   <ailto:pmerchant@cja.org%22>, (415) 544-0444 x307**
   **
   **Holland & Knight LLP**
   **Susan M. Bass, Marketing Communications Manager for Holland &
   Knight LLP susan.bass@hklaw.com <ailto:susan.bass@hklaw.com%22>,
   (813) 769-4326**
   **
   *


         HAITIAN COLONEL AND MEMBER OF THE HIGH COMMAND ORDERED TO PAY
         $4.3 MILLION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES

   *(Miami, Florida, February 23, 2007). A federal jury in Miami found
   Colonel Carl Dorélien, a former member of the Haitian Military’s
   High Command, liable for torture, extrajudicial killing, arbitrary
   detention and crimes against humanity suffered by plaintiffs
   Lexiuste Cajuste, Marie Jeanne Jean and her two young children.
   Colonel Dorélien was ordered to pay a total of $4.3 million to the
   plaintiffs in compensatory and punitive damages.**
   **
   **Lexiuste Cajuste was arbitrarily detained and severely tortured by
   Haitian military forces under Dorelien’s command because of his role
   as a union organizer and pro-democracy activist. Miraculously, he
   survived the beatings but, fourteen years after the ordeal, still
   suffers severe physical disabilities relating to his torture. Upon
   learning of the jury’s verdict in his favor Cajuste stated, “Today I
   have finally found justice, but I am only one person amongst an
   entire population who suffered abuses. My wish is to see that all
   the people of Haiti receive justice.” Cajuste went on to say,
   “Although today’s judgment was rendered against Colonel Dorélien, I
   see this is as a judgment against the entire armed forces of Haiti
   under the military dictatorship. This is a wonderful day for justice
   for me and my family and for the Haitian people.”**
   **
   **Marie Jeanne Jean lost her husband Michel Pierre during the
   massacre by the Haitian military against the citizens of the
   Raboteau neighborhood in the seaside city of Gonaives. Raboteau was
   known for being a stronghold of pro-democracy activism. The Raboteau
   massacre was one of the worst atrocities committed against the
   civilian population in Haiti while Dorélien was part of the High
   Command. She brought this suit on behalf of herself and her two
   minor children. “Today is a proud and happy day. This judgment is
   not just for me and my family, but for all of the many victims of
   the Raboteau Massacre. It is in their name that I am here in Miami
   today,” said Marie Jean about the jury’s verdict.**
   **
   **Colonel Dorélien was a member of the High Command of the Haitian
   Armed Forces during the military dictatorship in Haiti from 1991 to
   1994. Dorélien’s presence in the U.S. became widely known after he
   won $3.2 million in the Florida state lottery in 1997. Dorélien,
   along with many other members of the Haitian military, fled to the
   U.S. where they lived with impunity. This case represents the first
   time that a U.S. jury has held a former member of the Haitian
   military responsible for the widespread human rights abuses that
   were committed by the military against the civilian population.**
   **
   **Matt Eisenbrandt, CJA Legal Director and member of the trial team
   said, “It is an honor to represent Marie Jean and Lexiuste Cajuste,
   their courage is an inspiration. Justice has been served.”**
   **
   **The plaintiffs are represented by the Center for Justice and
   Accountability (CJA) and Holland & Knight. CJA is a San
   Francisco-based human rights organization that works to end impunity
   by bringing to justice perpetrators of human rights abuses,
   especially those who live in or visit the United States.
   **www.cja.org*
   <ttp://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=g6qfc6bab.0.6sc8kwbab.z5aocvbab.2900&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cja.org%22>*.
   Holland & Knight is among the world's 15 largest law firms,
   providing representation in litigation, business, real estate and
   governmental law. **www.hklaw.com*
   <ttp://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=g6qfc6bab.0.cww7v7bab.z5aocvbab.2900&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hklaw.com%22>*.**
   **
   **For more information and background on the case, please visit
   **www.cja.org*
   <ttp://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=g6qfc6bab.0.6sc8kwbab.z5aocvbab.2900&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cja.org%22>*.
   **
   **
   **Center for Justice and Accountability **
   **
   **email: **center4justice@cja.org* <ailto:center4justice@cja.org%22>* **
   **phone: 415-544-0444 **
   **web: **http://www.cja.org*
   <ttp://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=g6qfc6bab.0.6sc8kwbab.z5aocvbab.2900&ts=S0234&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cja.org%22>*
   **
   **
   **
   **
   **Center for Justice and Accountability | 870 Market Street | Suite
   688 | San Francisco | CA | 94102** **
   **
   *

   *The Freedom Archives
   522 Valencia Street
   San Francisco, CA 94110
   (415) 863-9977
   **www.freedomarchives.org* <ttp://www.freedomarchives.org/%22>

   _______________________________________________
   News mailing list
   News@freedomarchives.org <ailto:News@freedomarchives.org%22>
   http://freedomarchives.org/mailman/listinfo/news_freedomarchives.org
   <ttp://freedomarchives.org/mailman/listinfo/news_freedomarchives.org%22>