Men accused of murdering police, IRA members convicted of a bomb attack aimed at the UK Prime Minister and now Charles Taylor. For thirty years Courtenay Griffiths QC has made his name as a leading barrister who's prepared to defend the notorious. On Wednesday he'll be taking your calls and questions on WHYS.
Wow - that was an extremely busy hour! Thanks for all your texts, emails, calls, comments and questions to Courtenay Griffiths QC. Claudia from the WHYS team.
Comment sent via SMS
18:58
111396457
To the Sierra Leonean callers,I would like to ask. Where did ULIMO and BLACK BERRET come from to launch their unpopular uprising on Liberia? Joseph Avery, Monrovia,Liberia
Comment sent via SMS
18:58
116252641
Grifin, will you be proud as a counsel to defend GBAGBO if tried tomorrow in light of current events in Ivory Cost? Is cashing on funding willingly given by UN for such a case not viewed as corruption when such is proven guilty. Largo-JUBA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
18:57
113631290
Panto from Switzerland called WHYS: I want this man to remove himself from this case. He's not going to allow justice to be done. He's defending a genocidal maniac. Nonsense there's no evidence.
Comment sent via SMS
18:57
116252505
I am very much impress with your defence of mr Charlse Tailor. You are surely the best lawyer in worlds history. From kemoh in s/leone.
Comment sent via SMS
18:57
116252635
Julius kimani in clevland say:analogy has it that the icc was invited to the kenya case by contesting individuals back in early ’08..ofcos they knew hague was in Europe?so,when Africans themselves make the invitation,then say they are being victimised,i doubt the kenya matter is comparable to the rest.dont mix lemons n mangos!they now claim local processes are not as insane as ICC’S!!
Comment sent via SMS
18:56
116252630
we in african like to accuse the western countries for the crimes of ur african leaders like charles tailor shld be held responsible for atrocities in sierra leone and Bush shld be held responsible for the war in iraq frm Abu Pele -Ghana
Comment sent via SMS
18:56
112276679
Demanding the same treatment for Bush and Blair as for Taylor is an attempt to dilute the justice system. Their circumstances are not at all similar. If "everyone" should be tried, then no one gets tried. Should Churchill and Roosevelt have been tried for crimes for bombing Nazi Germany?
Richard, Dayton, Ohio
Comment sent via SMS
18:52
116252612
Mr. Lawyer, it’s just to keep Taylor out of the region, no matter what. Nasser sheriff in Monrovia.
Comment sent via SMS
18:52
108647882
Charle Taylor was found guilty even before he was arrested and it’s therefore doubtful if he will get a fair trial.
Ekayu Wilson. Soroti, Uganda.
Comment sent via SMS
18:50
108479342
Charles Taylor run a country which didn’t have due process, so there is no record of responsibility. Happily Bush and Blair did! Mr Griffiths can defendTaylor but we Africans know he’s worse than Blair and Bush combined and is guilty. Kwame, London
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
116252315
No! We will never welcome him. Griffy is encouraging African leaders 2 Be corrupt and exploit us. Bob in S.L
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
116252470
Hats off 2 u mr.griffiths,4 putin bush n blair 2 shame,taylor is on trial 4 rejecting bush’s request 2 have liberia as a surrogate puppet.teddy warner.monrovia
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
116252584
It is my understanding that there is no provison in the rome statute that addresses issue of state sanction crimes, so what will be the reliance of the court to prosecute Bush & Blair? lsaac jackson liberia
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
116252585
Yes, i will more than welcome mr. courtney griffney to sierra leone. Boroma
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
110880568
Mr Griffiths needs t get real. Tony Blair n Bush ddnt kill n1 deliberatly, its a war, Ppl die in wars bt Saddam gassed hs own Ppl. Hw is tht th same? SANDRA frm MALAWI
Comment sent via SMS
18:48
116252583
Dear Bbc,what is troubling me right now is not weather charles tailor is found guilty or not.but the millions of dollar poured in to see the succession of this case is my problem.in my vision this is useless because tailor guilty will not bring back the loss that we suffer in that war.if the money would have use to help us that would have been better..mustaqfa fofanah in freetown.
Comment sent via SMS
18:47
116252575
African contries do not have arm factories. Arm supplier to conflic zones should be tried as well as those who do carry out these atrocities. _ NWANA Zachary NCHIMENYI _ cameroon.
Your questions to Courtenay Griffiths QC
| Wednesday, 1 Jan. 2011 | 18:00 - 19:15 GMT
Men accused of murdering police, IRA members convicted of a bomb attack aimed at the UK Prime Minister and now Charles Taylor. For thirty years Courtenay Griffiths QC has made his name as a leading barrister who's prepared to defend the notorious. On Wednesday he'll be taking your calls and questions on WHYS.
Your comments
Comment sent via host
Wow - that was an extremely busy hour! Thanks for all your texts, emails, calls, comments and questions to Courtenay Griffiths QC. Claudia from the WHYS team.
Comment sent via SMS
To the Sierra Leonean callers,I would like to ask. Where did ULIMO and BLACK BERRET come from to launch their unpopular uprising on Liberia? Joseph Avery, Monrovia,Liberia
Comment sent via SMS
Grifin, will you be proud as a counsel to defend GBAGBO if tried tomorrow in light of current events in Ivory Cost? Is cashing on funding willingly given by UN for such a case not viewed as corruption when such is proven guilty. Largo-JUBA
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Panto from Switzerland called WHYS: I want this man to remove himself from this case. He's not going to allow justice to be done. He's defending a genocidal maniac. Nonsense there's no evidence.
Comment sent via SMS
I am very much impress with your defence of mr Charlse Tailor. You are surely the best lawyer in worlds history. From kemoh in s/leone.
Comment sent via SMS
Julius kimani in clevland say:analogy has it that the icc was invited to the kenya case by contesting individuals back in early ’08..ofcos they knew hague was in Europe?so,when Africans themselves make the invitation,then say they are being victimised,i doubt the kenya matter is comparable to the rest.dont mix lemons n mangos!they now claim local processes are not as insane as ICC’S!!
Comment sent via SMS
we in african like to accuse the western countries for the crimes of ur african leaders like charles tailor shld be held responsible for atrocities in sierra leone and Bush shld be held responsible for the war in iraq frm Abu Pele -Ghana
Comment sent via SMS
Demanding the same treatment for Bush and Blair as for Taylor is an attempt to dilute the justice system. Their circumstances are not at all similar. If "everyone" should be tried, then no one gets tried. Should Churchill and Roosevelt have been tried for crimes for bombing Nazi Germany? Richard, Dayton, Ohio
Comment sent via SMS
Mr. Lawyer, it’s just to keep Taylor out of the region, no matter what. Nasser sheriff in Monrovia.
Comment sent via SMS
Charle Taylor was found guilty even before he was arrested and it’s therefore doubtful if he will get a fair trial. Ekayu Wilson. Soroti, Uganda.
Comment sent via SMS
Charles Taylor run a country which didn’t have due process, so there is no record of responsibility. Happily Bush and Blair did! Mr Griffiths can defendTaylor but we Africans know he’s worse than Blair and Bush combined and is guilty. Kwame, London
Comment sent via SMS
No! We will never welcome him. Griffy is encouraging African leaders 2 Be corrupt and exploit us. Bob in S.L
Comment sent via SMS
Hats off 2 u mr.griffiths,4 putin bush n blair 2 shame,taylor is on trial 4 rejecting bush’s request 2 have liberia as a surrogate puppet.teddy warner.monrovia
Comment sent via SMS
It is my understanding that there is no provison in the rome statute that addresses issue of state sanction crimes, so what will be the reliance of the court to prosecute Bush & Blair? lsaac jackson liberia
Comment sent via SMS
Yes, i will more than welcome mr. courtney griffney to sierra leone. Boroma
Comment sent via SMS
Mr Griffiths needs t get real. Tony Blair n Bush ddnt kill n1 deliberatly, its a war, Ppl die in wars bt Saddam gassed hs own Ppl. Hw is tht th same? SANDRA frm MALAWI
Comment sent via SMS
Dear Bbc,what is troubling me right now is not weather charles tailor is found guilty or not.but the millions of dollar poured in to see the succession of this case is my problem.in my vision this is useless because tailor guilty will not bring back the loss that we suffer in that war.if the money would have use to help us that would have been better..mustaqfa fofanah in freetown.
Comment sent via SMS
African contries do not have arm factories. Arm supplier to conflic zones should be tried as well as those who do carry out these atrocities. _ NWANA Zachary NCHIMENYI _ cameroon.