Jelena Rasic in the courtroom

According to what the prosecution and defense have indicated, the trial of Jelena Rasic, former case manager in Milan Lukic’s defense team, will be the longest contempt of court trial in the Tribunal’s history. The prosecution case should take between five and seven days and the defense is expected to complete its case in four to five days.

In September 2010, Jelena Rasic pleaded not guilty to all five counts in the indictment charging her with ‘knowingly and willfully interfering with the administration of justice’. According to the indictment, Rasic offered Zuhdija Tabakovic €1,000 to sign a pre-written false statement and more money to confirm its accuracy before the Tribunal. Rasic also asked Tabakovic to find another two Muslims from Visegrad willing to sign false statements in exchange for money. Tabakovic complied. Milan Lukic’s lawyer disclosed the false statements to the prosecution in January 2009.

At the status conference today, presiding judge Howard Morrison ordered the prosecution to submit its pre-trial brief by 29 April 2011. The defense has until 20 May 2011 to do it.

The prosecution indicated it would call no less than 19 witnesses. Eleven witnesses will testify under Rule 92 bis, seven witnesses under Rule 92 ter and there will be one expert witness. The defense will call three witnesses who will testify live and one witness will give evidence under Rule 92 ter.

Jelena Rasic has been granted provisional release pending trial. Next status conference in the case is slated for 27 May 2011.

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