Taipei - Taiwan's Council of Grand Justices Friday rejected a petition by former president Chen Shui-bian charging that the corruption trial against him was unconstitutional, dealing another blow to the graft-tainted ex-leader. Chen sought a review in January by the council, the island's highest constitutional authority, over whether the consitution was violated by the Taipei District Court when it changed judges in the middle of Chen's trial. A district court originally ordered Chen, who was detained for alleged corruption, to bereleased without bail after he was officially charged in mid-December. But due to objections by prosecutors, the court decided to hold another hearing on whether to release Chen. The judge... [read full story]
