DOJ Trains Prosecutors
This year the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) developed a plan to train Georgian prosecutors to use the new Criminal Procedure Code (“CPC”) that Parliament passed for its first reading in December 2006. Under the CPC, prosecutors will try cases with trial skills previously untaught in Georgia.
DOJ and the Public Prosecution Service of Georgia are training 30 top prosecutors to become trainers themselves for 600 other prosecutors throughout the country.
In March 2007, DOJ conducted a basic training for trainers and planned monthly trial skills trainings for the whole year. These trainings afford trainers an opportunity to develop their trial and teaching skills, and to review the CPC with drafting experts.
On April 13-14, 2007, DOJ conducted its second training. On the first day, DOJ’s resident legal advisor Roger Keller reviewed direct and cross examination techniques and lectured on weaving facts obtained during examination into a cogent and compelling closing argument. On the second day, the prosecutors practiced these skills in mock trials. The next training is planned for May 18-19, 2007.
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