Subpoenaed Naomi Campbell Wants to Postponed Diamond Testimony
July 22, 10 by IDEX Online Staff Reporter
Supermodel Naomi Campbell, who allegedly received conflict diamonds from former Liberian president Charles Taylor, is continuing in her efforts to avoid testifying about the incident at Taylor's war-crimes trial.
After refusing to answer questions about the diamonds at an interview, and later declining a request to provide testimony to the court, on July 1 she was subpoenaed to appear at Taylor's trial in The Hague.
Campbell has asked to postpone her testimony from on July 29 to August 5.
The model, according to actress Mia Farrow, allegedly received a number of rough diamonds from Taylor while he was financing his reign of terror in neighboring Sierra Leone with diamonds.
In a short interview with ABC News in April, Campbell denied the allegations. When the interviewer continued to ask about the diamonds, Campbell stormed off the set, in the process punching the camera held by the producer.
Prosecutors want the court to hear Campbell's testimony, as well as Farrow's and a witness named Carole Taylor, court papers show. Prosecutors want to prove that Taylor "used rough diamonds for personal enrichment and arms purchases," according to court papers.
Taylor is charged with crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian law.