Critique of the Trial Court Decision

Nidra Poller reports from the trial (Part 1)

Click here for source

Starting September 14, three Frenchmen go on trial in Paris for questioning the veracity of the 2000 videotape of the putative murder of Palestinian child Mohammed Al-Dura by Israeli soldiers. This tape – promulgated by the French state-run channel France 2 – is often credited with helping instigate the so-called “Al-Aqsa Intifada”. Now, six years later, in the shadow of revelations about media manipulation and “fauxtography” by Reuters and ...

Next big surprise: the paucity of France 2’s arguments. Their lawyer, a slim racy woman with long thick white hair that she constantly coiffed and uncoiffed, ruffled, caressed, raised, lowered, and twisted with obvious pride, was seated about 2 meters away from me. I watched her working quite feverishly, shuffling papers, attaching post-its, scribbling notes, consulting with a colleague who looked more like a hatchet man than a partner in her law office, and in general giving the impression of ...

Al-Dura: The Verdict  Part Four) Nidra Poller

October 19, 2006 2:57 PM
Click here for source

The verdict in the case of France 2 versus Philippe Karsenty was announced just seconds after the session was convened. We—those of us who stood with the defendant—hardly knew what hit us. The words were so alien, after what we had thought was a highly civilized search for the truth, a fair trial.” Nidra Poller on the disappointing conclusion to the French state media’s prosecution ...

Enderlin, France 2 v. Karsenty
Working Draft
17th Chamber
Case No. 0433823049
Decision of October 19, 2006

By order of one of the examining magistrates of this court, dated October 20, 2005 and issued following two complaints and the filing of civil actions, the first by the National Television Company France 2, on December 3, 2005, and the second by Charles Enderlin on December 9, 2004 – actions that were subsequently joined – Philippe Karsenty was summoned before this court to ...