Law Professor Has Inside Look at Saddam's Trial and Execution

Newswise — Case Western Reserve University law professor Michael Scharf offers a never before seen look at one of the most important and chaotic trials in history in his new book, Enemy of the State: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein, written with Vanderbilt University's Michael Newton. Enemy of State chronicles the true story of the apprehension, trial and execution of the Iraqi dictator.

From the trial's inception on October 19, 2005, Scharf and Newton led a team of experts who prepared the judges and prosecutors for "the mother of all trials." Scharf, director of the Frederick K. Cox International Law Center and a former State Department official who helped create the Yugoslavia Tribunal in 1993, and Newton confronted such issues as whether the death penalty should apply, how to run a fair trial when political and military passions run so high, and which of Saddam's many crimes should be prosecuted.

A non-fiction work, written like a novel, offers answers to a number of questions related to today's global events: What is the best way to respond to crimes against humanity in places like Darfur and Burma? What is the best approach to rebuilding Iraq and dealing with the Arabic speaking world? Where should we draw the line in what is acceptable in our war against terrorism?

The book, published by St. Martin's Press, provides clarity into common misconceptions and inaccurate portrayals of those involved, telling readers "everything you thought you knew about the Saddam trial is wrong." The two American law professors give an insider's account of one of the most extraordinary judicial proceedings of all time.

In what some experts are calling "the year of war crimes trials," Enemy of the State provides a telling account about the events that have shaped the current international judicial landscape.

Enemy of the State is now available at booksellers nationwide. Excerpts, book reviews and an author "Q&A" are all available at http://www.enemyofthestatebook.com. Additionally, the book and an in-depth audio interview with Scharf are featured on the new Case Western Reserve University magazine website, Think, at http://www.case.edu/think.