Peter Robinson (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Robinson is an American lawyer who has defended political and military leaders at the United Nations
International Criminal Tribunals. His clients include Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic
, Rwandan National Assembly President Joseph Nzirorera, Yugoslavian Army Chief of Staff Dragoljub Ojdanic
, and the lawyer for Liberian President Charles Taylor
.
. He graduated from St. John's Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts in 1971. In 1975 he graduated from Macalester College
in St. Paul, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. Robinson earned his Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon in 1978.
". Robinson also prosecuted a number of officials and customers of Centennial Savings and Loan Association, a Santa Rosa, California institution that collapsed in the 1980s.
. He authored an article about the change from federal prosecutor to criminal defence lawyer entitled “Switching Sides”. From 1988-2000, he defended clients in federal courts throughout the United States.
. Nzirorera’s first trial began in 2003 and ended in a mistrial in 2004 after Robinson’s motion to disqualify the Trial Chamber was granted. Nzirorera’s second trial began in 2005 and he died in 2010 near the end of the defence case.
In 2010, Robinson refused to proceed with the trial of Joseph Nzirorera after one of his colleagues, Peter Erlinder
, was arrested in Rwanda for "negationism of genocide". Robinson told the court that he could not stand idly by while a defense lawyer was arrested for defending his client. The Trial Chamber threatened Robinson with contempt of court, but dropped the matter after Erlinder was released.
Robinson returned to the ICTR in March 2011 when he represented former Rwandan Minister of Defence Marcel Gatsinzi
, who was called as a witness before the Appeals Chamber in the case of General Theoneste Bagosora
.
in 2001 and to the defence team of General Dragoljub Ojdanic from 2002-09. He currently serves as co-counsel to Ojdanic on appeal of his conviction for aiding and abetting crimes in Kosovo during the 1999 war.
In 2008, Robinson was selected by former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic to be his Legal Advisor at the ICTY. Karadzic, who represents himself, is on trial for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes stemming from the 1991-95 Bosnian War
. His trial began in October 2009 and is expected to conclude in 2014.
Robinson has also served as a member of the Executive Board of the ICTY Association of Defence Counsel and as a member of the ICTY’s Rules Committee.
, lead counsel to former Liberian President Charles Taylor at the Special Court of Sierra Leone. Robinson defended Griffiths in disciplinary proceedings stemming from Griffiths' refusal to proceed with the closing arguments in the Taylor trial. Those proceedings were later dismissed.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
International Criminal Tribunals. His clients include Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic
Radovan Karadžic
Radovan Karadžić is a former Bosnian Serb politician. He is detained in the United Nations Detention Unit of Scheveningen, accused of war crimes committed against Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats during the Siege of Sarajevo, as well as ordering the Srebrenica massacre.Educated as a...
, Rwandan National Assembly President Joseph Nzirorera, Yugoslavian Army Chief of Staff Dragoljub Ojdanic
Dragoljub Ojdanic
Dragoljub Ojdanić was former Chief of the General Staff and Defence minister of Yugoslavia...
, and the lawyer for Liberian President Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor
Charles McArthur Ghankay Taylor was the 22nd President of Liberia, serving from 2 August 1997 until his resignation on 11 August 2003....
.
Early life
Peter Robinson was raised in Chelsea, MassachusettsChelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
. He graduated from St. John's Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts in 1971. In 1975 he graduated from Macalester College
Macalester College
Macalester College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 as a Presbyterian-affiliated but nonsectarian college. Its first class entered September 15, 1885. The college is located on a campus in a historic residential neighborhood...
in St. Paul, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. Robinson earned his Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon in 1978.
Prosecutor
Robinson served as a federal prosecutor in the District of Oregon from 1978-80, the District of Rhode Island in 1981, and the Northern District of California from 1981-88. He was one of the prosecutors of the neo-Nazi group known as " The OrderThe Order (group)
The Order, also known as the Brüder Schweigen or Silent Brotherhood, was an organization active in the United States between 1983 and 1984...
". Robinson also prosecuted a number of officials and customers of Centennial Savings and Loan Association, a Santa Rosa, California institution that collapsed in the 1980s.
Defense lawyer
In 1988, Robinson opened his own criminal defence practice in Santa Rosa, CaliforniaSanta Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
. He authored an article about the change from federal prosecutor to criminal defence lawyer entitled “Switching Sides”. From 1988-2000, he defended clients in federal courts throughout the United States.
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
At the ICTR in 2002, Robinson was assigned as Lead Counsel for Joseph Nzirorera, the former President of the Rwanda National Assembly and Secretary of the ruling National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development MRND political party during the 1994 Rwandan genocideRwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
. Nzirorera’s first trial began in 2003 and ended in a mistrial in 2004 after Robinson’s motion to disqualify the Trial Chamber was granted. Nzirorera’s second trial began in 2005 and he died in 2010 near the end of the defence case.
In 2010, Robinson refused to proceed with the trial of Joseph Nzirorera after one of his colleagues, Peter Erlinder
Peter Erlinder
C. Peter Erlinder is an American lawyer, originally from Chicago, who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he teaches at William Mitchell College of Law...
, was arrested in Rwanda for "negationism of genocide". Robinson told the court that he could not stand idly by while a defense lawyer was arrested for defending his client. The Trial Chamber threatened Robinson with contempt of court, but dropped the matter after Erlinder was released.
Robinson returned to the ICTR in March 2011 when he represented former Rwandan Minister of Defence Marcel Gatsinzi
Marcel Gatsinzi
Marcel Gatsinzi is a Rwandan soldier and politician, and Rwanda's current Minister of Defence.An ethnic Hutu from Butare, Gatsinzi is a former member of the Rwandan Armed Forces , which was the national army prior to the conquest of Rwanda by the RPF following the 1994 Rwandan Genocide...
, who was called as a witness before the Appeals Chamber in the case of General Theoneste Bagosora
Théoneste Bagosora
Colonel Théoneste Bagosora is a former Rwandan military officer. He is chiefly known for his key role in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. And for that, he is sentenced to life imprisonment by the ICTR.-History and career:...
.
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Robinson worked at the ICTY as a legal consultant to the defence team of General Radislav KrsticRadislav Krstic
Radislav Krstić was the Deputy Commander and later Chief of Staff of the Drina Corps of the Army of Republika Srpska from October 1994 until 12 July 1995...
in 2001 and to the defence team of General Dragoljub Ojdanic from 2002-09. He currently serves as co-counsel to Ojdanic on appeal of his conviction for aiding and abetting crimes in Kosovo during the 1999 war.
In 2008, Robinson was selected by former Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic to be his Legal Advisor at the ICTY. Karadzic, who represents himself, is on trial for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes stemming from the 1991-95 Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
. His trial began in October 2009 and is expected to conclude in 2014.
Robinson has also served as a member of the Executive Board of the ICTY Association of Defence Counsel and as a member of the ICTY’s Rules Committee.
Special Court of Sierra Leone (SCSL)
In 2011, Robinson was retained by Courtenay GriffithsCourtenay Griffiths
Courtenay Griffiths QC is a Jamaican-born British barrister, notable for his defence within a number of high-profile cases, and a member of London-based Garden Court Chambers.-Early life:...
, lead counsel to former Liberian President Charles Taylor at the Special Court of Sierra Leone. Robinson defended Griffiths in disciplinary proceedings stemming from Griffiths' refusal to proceed with the closing arguments in the Taylor trial. Those proceedings were later dismissed.
Novel
In 2004, Robinson wrote a novel, The Tribunal, about an American prosecutor assigned to defend a Bosnian warlord at the ICTY.External links
- http://www.lawdragon.com/index.php/newdragon/fullstory/lawyer_limelight_peter_robinson/
- http://djilp.org/542/interview-with-peter-robinson-legal-advisor-to-radovan-karadzic/
- http://www.mainjustice.com/2011/01/07/an-ex-ausa-in-the-hague/
- http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/07/28/us-books-warcrimes-idUSTRE66R1FG20100728
- http://www.peterrobinson.com/
- http://nzirorera.com
- http://www.unictr.org/tabid/128/Default.aspx?id=92&mnid=2]