Morsi's lawyer: trial deadline and verdicts already determined by coup leaders

On the sixth session of the “Jailbreaks” trial, ousted president Mohamed Morsi reiterated that the “coup will fail” and that “the coup authorities have turned against the judiciary itself.”

Morsi along with 130 defendants are standing trial on charges of “jailbreaks” during the January 25 revolution that brought down Egypt’s dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The trial was held at the Police Academy in New Cairo.

Morsi’s lawyer Mohamed Al Damaty complained during the session that the defendants and their defence are “exhausted” due to the speedy trials, and that “a third party” is responsible for that. He requested adjourning the trial to a specified date due to their “severe exhaustion”.

Damaty claimed that the speedy nature of the trials is intentional and aimed at issuing verdicts at a specified deadline determined by the coup leaders.

According to Anadolu news agency, the defendants flashed the Rabaa signs and chanted “down with military rule” while entering court.

Essam El-Erian, a Muslim Brotherhood leader and defendant in the case, asked to leave court for a surgery he had to undergo. The judge replied that the prison hospital is the one which should make that decision.