Charles McArthur Emmanuel
Encyclopedia
Charles McArther Emmanuel, also known as Chuckie Taylor, (born 1977) is the son of former President of Liberia Charles Taylor. Raised by his mother in Florida until he was 17, Taylor Jr. traveled to Liberia
in 1994 to live with his father. During his father's presidency, Emmanuel became the commander of the infamously violent Anti-Terrorist Unit
(ATU), commonly known in Liberia as the "Demon Forces." He is currently serving a 97-year sentence in the United States
for his role in human rights violations carried out by the ATU.
Born in 1977 in Boston
, Emmanuel lived much of his life in Orlando
, Florida
, with his mother, Bernice Emmanuel, a college girlfriend of Taylor. Fearful of Taylor's attempting to claim custody of Emmanuel, his mother had his name legally changed to Roy Belfast, Jr., the name of her husband. His house, in a neighborhood described as "middle class
," was 9 miles (14.5 km) away from Universal Studios
. In 1994, when he was a teenager he was involved in an altercation with deputies of Orange County, Florida
. Afterward, Emmanuel moved to Liberia to live with his father. According to U.S. prosecutors, when in Liberia Emmanuel headed the "Demon Forces," a paramilitary, anti-terrorism security unit for Charles Taylor.
In 2006, Emmanuel was placed under arrest at Miami International Airport
after flying from Trinidad
to Miami; he carried a passport that he received after falsifying his father's name on the application. The Domestic Security Section
of the United States Department of Justice
accused Emmanuel of participating in torture in Liberia. Emmanuel's trial was the first case where a U.S. citizen was prosecuted under a 1994 law that prohibits American citizens from participating in torture outside of the United States. Emmanuel has been incarcerated in a Miami prison since 2007.
Elise Keppler, a counsel for the International Justice Program of Human Rights Watch
, said that the "Demon Forces" "did things like beating people to death, burying them alive, rape - the most horrible kind of war crimes." U.S. prosecutors also charged that the "Demon Forces" engaged in torture and attempted to silence critics of Charles Taylor. At Emmanuel's trial, Rufus Kpadeh, a former prisoner in Liberia, testified that Emmanuel's forces coerced prisoners into engaging in sexual acts while Emmanuel laughed. On October 30, 2008, a jury convicted Emmanuel of several counts, including one of torture, one of conspiracy to commit torture, and one of possession of a firearm while committing a violent crime. On January 8, 2009, Judge Cecilia Altonaga
sentenced Taylor to 97 years in prison; he plans to appeal his conviction.
That same day, the World Organization for Human Rights USA filed a civil suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
on behalf of five of Taylor Jr.’s victims pursuant to the Alien Tort Statute
and the Torture Victims Protection Act. The plaintiffs won by default judgment on all counts and the civil trial to determine damages took place in late December 2009 and January 2010.
As of 2009 Emmanuel is serving time in a federal prison in Florida.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
in 1994 to live with his father. During his father's presidency, Emmanuel became the commander of the infamously violent Anti-Terrorist Unit
Anti-Terrorist Unit (Liberia)
The Anti-Terrorist Unit , also known as the Anti-Terrorist Brigade, was a paramilitary force of the government of Liberia, established by then-President Charles Taylor in 1997-98. Chuckie Taylor, Charles Taylor's son, served as commander of the force for a period...
(ATU), commonly known in Liberia as the "Demon Forces." He is currently serving a 97-year sentence in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for his role in human rights violations carried out by the ATU.
Born in 1977 in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Emmanuel lived much of his life in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, with his mother, Bernice Emmanuel, a college girlfriend of Taylor. Fearful of Taylor's attempting to claim custody of Emmanuel, his mother had his name legally changed to Roy Belfast, Jr., the name of her husband. His house, in a neighborhood described as "middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
," was 9 miles (14.5 km) away from Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
. In 1994, when he was a teenager he was involved in an altercation with deputies of Orange County, Florida
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
. Afterward, Emmanuel moved to Liberia to live with his father. According to U.S. prosecutors, when in Liberia Emmanuel headed the "Demon Forces," a paramilitary, anti-terrorism security unit for Charles Taylor.
In 2006, Emmanuel was placed under arrest at Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
after flying from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
to Miami; he carried a passport that he received after falsifying his father's name on the application. The Domestic Security Section
Domestic Security Section
The Domestic Security Section was a component of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division that was focused on the prosecution of significant alien smuggling organizations, complex immigration frauds, certain violent crime and firearms offenses, crimes committed under the Military...
of the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
accused Emmanuel of participating in torture in Liberia. Emmanuel's trial was the first case where a U.S. citizen was prosecuted under a 1994 law that prohibits American citizens from participating in torture outside of the United States. Emmanuel has been incarcerated in a Miami prison since 2007.
Elise Keppler, a counsel for the International Justice Program of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, said that the "Demon Forces" "did things like beating people to death, burying them alive, rape - the most horrible kind of war crimes." U.S. prosecutors also charged that the "Demon Forces" engaged in torture and attempted to silence critics of Charles Taylor. At Emmanuel's trial, Rufus Kpadeh, a former prisoner in Liberia, testified that Emmanuel's forces coerced prisoners into engaging in sexual acts while Emmanuel laughed. On October 30, 2008, a jury convicted Emmanuel of several counts, including one of torture, one of conspiracy to commit torture, and one of possession of a firearm while committing a violent crime. On January 8, 2009, Judge Cecilia Altonaga
Cecilia Altonaga
Cecilia Maria Altonaga is a Florida United States district court judge. She is the first Cuban-American woman to be appointed as a federal judge in the United States.-Biography:...
sentenced Taylor to 97 years in prison; he plans to appeal his conviction.
That same day, the World Organization for Human Rights USA filed a civil suit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is the federal United States district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida....
on behalf of five of Taylor Jr.’s victims pursuant to the Alien Tort Statute
Alien Tort Statute
The Alien Tort Statute ) is a section of the United States Code that reads: "The district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action by an alien for a tort only, committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States." This statute is notable for allowing...
and the Torture Victims Protection Act. The plaintiffs won by default judgment on all counts and the civil trial to determine damages took place in late December 2009 and January 2010.
As of 2009 Emmanuel is serving time in a federal prison in Florida.
External links
- CASE NO. 06-20758-CR-ALTONAGA(s)." Indictment of Charles McArther Emmanuel.
- CASE NO. 06-20758-CR-ALTONAGA/Turnoff"