Indictments Without Borders

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Slobodan Milosovic, Augusto Pinochet, Ariel Sharon and Henry Kissinger have two things in common: all are current or former heads of state or senior officials; and all are accused of human rights violations. But, should they be subject to what's called "universal jurisdiction"-at an international court, or in the courts of countries other than their own? Human rights advocates are celebrating a growing trend, but others warn of the loss of sovereignty and the prospects for political abuse. Today we'll hear what could be a test of idealism in a world of harsh realities. Newsmaker: US Serviceman to be Tried for Rape in Japanese Court - In Okinawa City, Japan, today, the US military delivered 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Timothy Woodland to Japanese police. They arrested him and charged him with raping a young Japanese woman. The case has been a sensation in Japan, and the transfer was approved at the highest levels. That's according to Ambassador Howard Baker, who said in Tokyo that Washington had given the go ahead. Reporter's Notebook: Compulsive Shopping as a Medical Defense in Federal Court - In our consumer culture, "shopaholic" is no longer a term of derision. In federal court, it's become a criminal defense. A Chicago woman named Elizabeth Roach pled guilty to embezzling 250,000 dollars to pay for extended shopping sprees. When it came time for sentencing, the judge agreed with psychiatrists that Roach had been self-medicating for her depression. She'll serve no time in jail.
Slobodan Milosovic, Augusto Pinochet, Ariel Sharon and Henry Kissinger have two things in common: all are current or former heads of state or senior officials; and all are accused of human rights violations. But, should they be subject to what's called "universal jurisdiction"-at an international court, or in the courts of countries other than their own? Human rights advocates are celebrating a growing trend, but others warn of the loss of sovereignty and the prospects for political abuse. Today we'll hear what could be a test of idealism in a world of harsh realities.
  • Newsmaker: US Serviceman to be Tried for Rape in Japanese Court - In Okinawa City, Japan, today, the US military delivered 24-year-old Staff Sgt. Timothy Woodland to Japanese police. They arrested him and charged him with raping a young Japanese woman. The case has been a sensation in Japan, and the transfer was approved at the highest levels. That's according to Ambassador Howard Baker, who said in Tokyo that Washington had given the go ahead.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Compulsive Shopping as a Medical Defense in Federal Court - In our consumer culture, "shopaholic" is no longer a term of derision. In federal court, it's become a criminal defense. A Chicago woman named Elizabeth Roach pled guilty to embezzling 250,000 dollars to pay for extended shopping sprees. When it came time for sentencing, the judge agreed with psychiatrists that Roach had been self-medicating for her depression. She'll serve no time in jail.

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney