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Defence attorney Midhat Koco proposed that Hodzic be examined by neurologist and psychiatrist Abdulah Kucukalic along with a team of doctors he would form.
“The Chamber has never allowed an expert examination as per Defence’s choice,” Defence attorney Koco said.
In December last year Kucukalic said that Hodzic was mentally sound and determined that he was not capable of participating in the court proceeding. Kucukalic presented such a conclusion back in 2009, when he conducted an expert examination of Hodzic.
However, other court experts said that Hodzic was capable of following the court proceeding. The last findings were presented in February this year.
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, objected to a new expert examination of Hodzic, explaining that there “are no indications that his health condition has changed”.
Hodzic is on trial, along with Mensur Memic, Dzevad Salcin and Nihad Bojadzic, former members of “Zulfikar” Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ABiH, and Senad Hakalovic, a former member of the “Neretvica” Brigade, for having committed crimes in Trusina on April 16, 1993.
According to the charges, 18 civilians and four members of the Croatian Defence Council, HVO, who had previously surrendered, were killed in this attack.
In addition to Koco’s proposal, the Defence of Memic proposed that one witness be examined as part of additional evidence presentation.
Prior to the Defence’s proposal the Prosecution of BiH requested the Trial Chamber to allow it additional time in order to complete the review of the presented evidence and decide on a possible revision of the indictment.
Therefore the continuation of the trial was scheduled for December 1, when the Trial Chamber will make a decision concerning these requests.
“You have three weeks. I want to see your proposal in that period of time,” said Trial Chamber Chairwoman Zeljka Marenic.
