Cairo: Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi today struck a defiant tone during his trial over a jailbreak in 2011, insisting that he was still the “legitimate” head of the country.
Morsi's jailbreak trial began at the Police Academy as he made his second appearance in court since the army overthrew him on July 3 amid mass protests against his rule. The 62-year-old leader is facing separate trials for inciting murder of protesters at the presidential palace in 2012, for espionage and conspiring with foreign groups like Hamas and Hezbollah to commit terror acts and for insulting the judiciary.
He could face the death penalty if convicted. As the trial began, Morsi started shouting: “I am the president of the republic, how can I be kept in a dump for weeks?”
Morsi also shouted at the judge, telling him: “who are you?” The judge simply said, “I'm the head of the Criminal Court” in response.
