The continuation of the trial of those accused of the murder of Miodrag Kruščić and of monitoring and planning the attack on former ND "Vijesti" journalist Olivera Lakić was postponed today to October 28, a special panel chaired by judge Radovan Vlaović decided.
As the judge said, the reason for the postponement was the failure of the official defense attorney, attorney Stefan Jovanović, to appear for the defendant Goran Rakočević.
Defendants Goran Rakočević, Mario Milošević and Goran Vukčević cited the fact that they do not have the conditions to prepare their defense while in custody as a problem for the trial to continue.
Rakočević said that he was not provided with the extensive sky material, which is about 3.000 pages.
"I want the conditions for a fair trial to be created for me. I will hire a lawyer when the conditions are met and when I am granted the right to a fair trial. I do not have a lawyer today," Rakočević said.
Judge Vlaović said that everything was "burned" onto a CD and delivered to his defense attorneys.
"We are in the middle of an investigation. We're going to watch it on DVD. There's no way we're going to review it," Milošević added.
"Release me under house arrest for 10 days, and I'll prepare my defense, don't worry," Rakočević promised.
Lawyer Dajana Koprivica submitted a proposal to the court to dismiss her as the ex officio defense attorney of the accused Milošević, because she refuses any cooperation and opposes taking any official action.
"This is true. The reasons are known. Among other things, the trial within a reasonable time was not respected, which has lasted me eight years. No one has visited us in the pre-trial detention center since we have been on strike. No one has come to ask us what it is, people. Cases are being used only for detention. An investigation is being conducted in parallel before the Inquiry Board. Can a single trial be completed in two years, and not in three years and eight months," said the accused Milošević.
"This case is stalled. You are constantly delaying the trial through obstruction. You are refusing to cooperate with your defense attorney," warned Judge Vlaović.
Defendant Milošević complained that he had written to the court to allow him to receive treatment and see a doctor, but that he had not received a response. He then addressed the judge.
"I have written to you five times about a dentist. I am requesting a medical examination. How do we know for sure whether this mole on my head is benign or malignant? I do not want to be represented by lawyer Koprivica, I have nothing personal against her," Milošević stated.
The accused Rakočević addressed the judge at the end of the hearing.
"How can we learn about these sky messages? Teach us."
Milan Vujotić, former policeman Darko Lalović, Filip Knežević, Mario Milošević, Goran Rakočević, Veselin Bubanja, Filip Bešović, Luka Bulatović, Dejan Vukašinović, Branislav Karadžić, Goran Vukčević, Mijajlo Stojanović, Aleksandar Ljumović and Sanja Božović are included in the indictment.
They are also charged with smuggling 554 kilograms of marijuana from Albania to Montenegro on January 26, 2021.
"The Council of the High Court in Podgorica, by decision Kvso no. 39/23, confirmed the indictment, Kt-S no. 265/20, which the Special State Prosecutor's Office filed against 14 accused persons, namely: MV, GR, FB, FK, SB, VB, LB, DV, DL, BK, MM, MS, A.Lj. and GV, for the criminal offenses of creating a criminal organization, grievous bodily harm, grievous murder, murder by incitement, illegal possession of weapons and explosives and unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs. The subject of the indictment is, among other things, the attack on the journalist of "Vijesti", the injured party Olivera Lakić, on May 8, 2018, the aggravated murder of the injured party Miodrag Kruščić, on May 21, 2018 and the smuggling of 554 kg of the narcotic drug marijuana, from Albania to Montenegro, on January 26 2021," it was stated earlier in a statement by special prosecutor and spokesperson for the Special State Prosecutor's Office, Vukas Radonjić.
Lawyer fined for failing to appear even though defendant canceled his power of attorney
Judge Vlaović fined attorney Stefan Jovanović 1.000 euros, as well as ordered him to pay the costs of postponing the trial, for failing to appear at the scheduled main hearing today, as the ex officio defense attorney of the defendant Goran Rakočević.
At the previous trial on October 7, it was said that Jovanović sent the court a motion at the end of September in which he requested to be relieved of his duties as Rakočević's defense attorney, because he refused any cooperation, Judge Vlaović read out.
Jovanović then added that he was prevented from defending him, because if Rakočević did not want to defend him, he saw no point in being present in the courtroom.
He added that he refused to go out for a visit to the Remand Prison.
Rakočević then said that he wanted to defend himself and asked the court to provide him with all communications. He said that he saw no point in the court appointing him a new ex officio defense attorney.
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