Kovačević trial postponed indefinitely

The trial of Miladin Kovacevic, accused of assaulting an American student, has been postponed indefinitely. The trail was expected to start at the Second Municipal Court in Belgrade this Monday. Kovacevic trial postponed indefinitely However, Kovacevic’s defense attorney Borivoje Borovic said that the investigative judge stated the hearing of eyewitnesses and other witnesses will be postponed indefinitely, because the state prosecution has yet to respond to the court's question of whether Kovacevic will be tried for the same crime he is accused of in the U.S. He also said that the Ministry of Justice did not act according the court's request to secure for the alleged victim, Bryan Steinhauer, to be questioned and to testify. "Since the court does not have the support of the Justice and Foreign Affairs Ministry, the investigative judge has decided to postpone the trial indefinitely,” said Borovic. “Perhaps this is about an agreement which our country is making with the Americans, and Miladin Kovacevic has nothing against this even though the defense is not familiar with the contents of these negotiations,” he said. Speaking about the possible settlement, Borovic said that the state is not saving Kovacevic, but “paying for the mistakes of state officials". The Ministry of Justice told the Tanjug news agency earlier today that the witness testimony could be heard only after the negotiations between the Serbian and American governments have ended. The ministry stated that the case against Kovacevic which has been halted because the American witness cannot testify under the current circumstances, might continue in April after the government in Serbia agrees with American officials in regard to that case and the possible payment of damages to Steinhauer’s family. Details regarding the negotiations between the two government’s have been labeled as state secret by the government. Kovacevic was arrested on October 28, along with a former consul of Serbia in New York that helped Kovacevic flee the U.S. illegally while he was awaiting trial for the alleged brutal assault on Steinhauer. Even though Americans are demanding that Kovacevic face justice in the U.S., the Serbian Constitution does not allow the state to extradite its citizens to another country to stand trial and has begun procedures for Kovacevic to be tried in Serbia.

Kovačević trial postponed indefinitely

However, Kovačević’s defense attorney Borivoje Borović said that the investigative judge stated the hearing of eyewitnesses and other witnesses will be postponed indefinitely, because the state prosecution has yet to respond to the court's question of whether Kovačević will be tried for the same crime he is accused of in the U.S.

He also said that the Ministry of Justice did not act according the court's request to secure for the alleged victim, Bryan Steinhauer, to be questioned and to testify.

"Since the court does not have the support of the Justice and Foreign Affairs Ministry, the investigative judge has decided to postpone the trial indefinitely,” said Borović.

“Perhaps this is about an agreement which our country is making with the Americans, and Miladin Kovačević has nothing against this even though the defense is not familiar with the contents of these negotiations,” he said.

Speaking about the possible settlement, Borović said that the state is not saving Kovačević, but “paying for the mistakes of state officials".

The Ministry of Justice told the Tanjug news agency earlier today that the witness testimony could be heard only after the negotiations between the Serbian and American governments have ended.

The ministry stated that the case against Kovačević which has been halted because the American witness cannot testify under the current circumstances, might continue in April after the government in Serbia agrees with American officials in regard to that case and the possible payment of damages to Steinhauer’s family.

Details regarding the negotiations between the two government’s have been labeled as state secret by the government.

Kovačević was arrested on October 28, along with a former consul of Serbia in New York that helped Kovačević flee the U.S. illegally while he was awaiting trial for the alleged brutal assault on Steinhauer.

Even though Americans are demanding that Kovačević face justice in the U.S., the Serbian Constitution does not allow the state to extradite its citizens to another country to stand trial and has begun procedures for Kovačević to be tried in Serbia.