Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office. The actual trial on those charges, and subsequent removal of an official on conviction on those charges, is separate from the act of impeachment itself.

Impeachment is analogous to indictment in regular court proceedings, while trial by the other house is analogous to the trial before judge and jury in regular courts. Typically, the lower house of the legislature will impeach the official and the upper house will conduct the trial.

At the federal level, Article Two of the United States Constitution (Section 4) states that “The President, Vice President, and all other civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors.” The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeaching, while the United States Senate has the sole power to try all impeachments. The removal of impeached officials is automatic upon conviction in the Senate.

Impeachment can also occur at the state level; state legislatures can impeach state officials, including governors, according to their respective state constitutions.

Barack Obama Does Not Rule out 9/11 Trial in New York, US President Barack Obama said on Sunday he did not rule out trying September 11 suspect Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City despite local opposition, but noted tough logistical questions involved.
“I have not ruled it out, but I think it is important for us to take into account the practical logistical issues involved,” Obama said in an interview.
“If you have got a city that is saying no, and a police department that is saying no, and a mayor that is saying no, that makes it difficult,” Obama said. But he added, “We have not ruled out anything.”

URUMQI, China: China on Tuesday executed a British man convicted of drug smuggling in its first execution of a European citizen in half a century, drawing a strong condemnation from Britain’s prime minister.

Britain’s Foreign Office confirmed the execution of Akmal Shaikh, whose relatives say was mentally unstable and was unwittingly lured into the crime.

“I condemn the execution of Akmal Shaikh in the strongest terms, and am appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted. I am particularly concerned that no mental health assessment was undertaken,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

Shaikh, 53, was the first European citizen to be executed in China in five decades.

Shaikh first learned of his death sentence Monday from his visiting cousins, who made a last-minute plea for his life. They say he is mentally unstable and was lured to China from a life on the street in Poland by men playing on his dreams to record a pop song for world peace.

Brown had spoken personally to China’s prime minister about his case.

Shaikh was arrested in 2007 for carrying a suitcase with almost 9 pounds (4 kilograms) of heroin into China on a flight from Tajikistan. He told Chinese officials he didn’t know about the drugs and that the suitcase wasn’t his, according to Reprieve, a London-based prisoner advocacy that helped with his case.

He was convicted in 2008 after a half-hour trial. In one court appearance during his trial and appeal process, the judges reportedly laughed at his rambling remarks.

It was not known how Shaikh, who is of Pakistani descent, was executed.

MUMBAI: An Indian judge on Friday decided against dismissing the lawyer of the only surviving gunman in last year’s Mumbai terror attacks, avoiding possible lengthy delays in his trial.

Judge M.L. Tahiliyani said he accepted an apology from defense lawyer Abbas Kazmi after a minor courtroom squabble and hoped the decision would help bring the trial to a swift conclusion.

Finding a replacement for Kazmi could have led to months of delays. He was appointed by the court to defend Mohammed Ajmal Kasab after several other lawyers refused to represent him.

Kasab is on trial with two Indian co-defendants accused of helping plot the attacks on Mumbai, India’s financial hub. They have been charged with 12 criminal counts, including murder and waging war against India. If convicted, all three could face the death penalty.

Thursday’s dispute arose after Kazmi accused the prosecutor of improperly handing him copies of witnesses’ statements without submitting them to the court first. The judge stated that the court had already been informed in Kazmi’s presence of the decision to submit the statements and accused the defense attorney of lying.

“How can I trust such a person,” the judge said.

Thursday was the first anniversary of the attacks, which began on Nov. 26 and lasted three days, killing 166 people.

The militants targeted 10 city landmarks, including two five-star hotels, a crowded train station and a Jewish center.

Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has criticised the trial of people accused of violence after June’s disputed presidential election.

Mr Khatami’s website said the “show trial” would damage confidence in Iran’s Islamic establishment.

More than 100 people went on trial on Saturday, including several leading reformists, on charges including rioting, vandalism, and conspiracy.

The poll was won by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.

‘Against constitution’

On Mr Khatami’s website he expressed hope that Saturday’s trial would not “lead to ignorance of the real crimes.
The reformist Mr Khatami was president from 1997 to 2005.

The BBC’s Kasra Naji says the timing and scale of the trial came as a surprise and suggests Iran’s leadership wants to send a message to stop any more protests.

The AFP news agency quotes Mr Khatami as making more outspoken criticism of the trial.

“What was done yesterday is against the constitution, regular laws and rights of the citizens,” his office quoted him as saying.

“The most important problem with the trial procedure is that it was not held in an open session. The lawyers and the defendants were not informed of the contents of the cases ahead of the trial.”

Some of the defendants told the court their earlier claims of fraud during the 12 June poll were baseless, official media said.

But Iran’s largest reformist party, Mosharekat, dismissed the court appearance as a “show trial” and said the confessions had been forced.

‘Real winner’

Photos from the packed courtroom showed seated defendants wearing prison uniforms with guards next to them.

The defendants included supporters of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi and aides of Mr Khatami.

Many protesters insisted that Mr Mousavi was the real winner of the 12 June election.

The semi-official Fars news agency reported that former deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh, former government spokesman Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, former senior lawmaker Mohsen Mirdamadi and former Industry Minister Behzad Nabavi were among those on trial.

Foreign media, including the BBC, have been restricted in their coverage of Iran since the election protests turned into confrontations with the authorities in which at least 30 people were killed.

Opposition groups alleged widespread vote-rigging. Post-election protests saw the largest mass demonstrations in Iran since the 1979 revolution, which brought about the current Islamic system of government.

The charges included rioting, vandalism, “acting against national security”, and conspiring against the ruling system, state media reported.

Those on trial included members of the opposition reform movement, including a former vice-president.

Some told the court their earlier claims of fraud during the 12 June poll were baseless, official media said.

Allegations of vote-rigging were made by defeated candidates and their supporters as soon as it became clear the president had been re-elected with a massive margin.

Former vice-president Mohammad Ali Abtahi was quoted by Fars news agency as telling the court: “I say to all my friends and all friends who hear us, that the issue of fraud in Iran was a lie and was brought up to create riots.”

At the trial, photographs from the packed courtroom showed seated defendants wearing prison uniforms and with guards next to them.

Foreign media, including the BBC, are restricted in their coverage of events in Iran.

Official news agency Irna said other charges included “having ties with counter-revolutionary groups.”

Some of those on trial had been photographed “committing the crimes”, and their accomplices were “on the run”, Irna reported, without specifying the number of people on trial.

The defendants included supporters of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi – both defeated in the election – and aides of former reformist president Mohammad Khatami.

Fars news agency reported that former deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh, former government spokesman Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, former senior lawmaker Mohsen Mirdamadi and former Industry Minister Behzad Nabavi were among the defendants.

The protests were the largest mass demonstrations seen in Iran since the 1979 revolution which brought the current Islamic regime to power.

Main challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi called for result to be annulled, alleging poll fraud
Mass street protests saw at least 30 people killed and foreign media restricted

In the days of violence following the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad at least 30 people were killed.

Authorities also arrested hundreds during the protests.

About 140 people arrested at the time were released from prison on Tuesday, with a further 200 accused of more serious crimes remaining in prison.

Opposition groups believe the number of prisoners and those killed in the violence to be higher.

Mr Ahmadinejad is due to be officially sworn in on 5 August.

Clashes have continued since his election, most recently during mourning to mark 40 days since the death of Neda Agha Soltan who was shot as she watched protests on 20 June.

State TV said police used teargas to disperse crowds from around her grave on Thursday.