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Pinochet's Lawyer Rejects Psychological Exam Orders
Augusto Pinochet's lawyer said Wednesday that the former Chilean leader will not undergo the psychological exams scheduled for January 7 and 8 to determine his fitness to stand trial for alleged human rights abuses during his reign.
"I will advise general Pinochet to reject the psychological exam and interrogation," said Pablo Rodriguez, the former Chilean military chief's defense counsel.
The Chilean judge Juan Guzman, who is handling more than 200 lawsuits against Pinochet, ordered on Tuesday that Pinochet undergo testing on coming Sunday and Monday at the Military Hospital in Santiago.
Guzman also announced that he will interrogate Pinochet on January 9, one day after the psychological exam.
The Supreme Court blocked Guzman's order for the arrest of the 85-year-old retired general on last December 20, holding that Pinochet should be tested before his arrest to determine whether he is able to stand trial.
The court also ordered that the test be held in 20 days, until January 9, 2001.
Chile's law requires testing to determine the psychological fitness of anyone older that 70 before they are tried. Pinochet could avoid trial if he were declared mad or demented.
Pinochet's lawyer argued that Guzman was "inhuman" and had plotted a "conspiracy" when he chose January 7 and 8 -- the last two days of the deadline for exam and the next day for interrogation.
Guzman had ordered Pinochet be placed under house arrest on December 1. Pinochet was accused of being responsible for the deaths and disappearance of 77 leftists weeks after he overthrew the elected former president Salvador Allend on September 11, 1973.
Pinochet was detained in Britain in October 1998 at the request of a Spanish judge who wanted to try him on charges of torture.
He spent 503 days under house arrest near London before being allowed to return home after the British legal system ruled he was too old and sick to be put on trial.
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