Defense objects to admission of all of the video clips from the documentary “Blood Diamonds” into evidence.  Defense: Much of the material in the video clips doesn’t relate to diamonds, and we don’t know who all of the people in the video are.  Prosecution will be calling live victim witnesses whom the prosecution can use to try to establish facts.

Prosecution: All of these clips have to do with diamonds.  There is a key nexus between diamonds and the conflict, as Smillie testified.  Exploitation of alluvial diamonds meant that it was important for the rebels to control the population.  The terrorism depicted in the video clips is distressing to watch, and that is why defense is objecting.  But this gives us all insight into the terror that these people experienced.  Video evidence is used to illustrate how the diamonds are mined, as if we had shown a series of diagrams to the court.  All of this is relevant, and we ask the court to admit all of it.

Judge Sebutinde: Pursuant to rule 89c, the chamber may admit any relevant evidence.  The clips do contain relevant evidence.  Defense has valid objections, but these go to issues of weight.  At end of trial we will determine how much weight to lend the evidence in the clips. 

All six of the video clips are now being admitted into evidence.