Liberian torture victims to face ex-President Taylor’s son in Fla. courtroom in damages suit

Liberia victims to face Taylor’s son in US court

MIAMI — A trial is set to begin in Miami in a lawsuit filed by five Liberians who claim they were tortured by the son of former President Charles Taylor.

The five men seek millions of dollars from the man they say ordered the atrocities: Taylor’s son, Charles McArthur Emmanuel.

Emmanuel is also known as Charles “Chuckie” Taylor Jr. He was convicted in federal court in Miami last year of violating U.S. anti-torture laws as a high-level enforcer for his father. He’s serving a 97-year prison sentence.

The five victims won a default judgment in May that leaves only the question of damages for the trial that begins Monday.

They cited numerous similar cases involving Haiti, El Salvador, Bosnia, Chile and other countries in which damages run into the tens of millions of dollars per person.