Cop murderer gets four life sentences

TIRANA, July 23 – An Albanian court this week handed down four life sentences to Dritan Dajti, who was convinced in the murder of four policemen five years ago.
It was the highest punishment allowed by law since Albania abolished the death penalty in 1998.
The undercover police officers were killed during a midday shootout in central Albania Aug. 7, 2009 in a police operation to apprehend Dajti who was then a wanted fugitive. He was arrested after the shootout. He had been six years on the run after escaping from a Tirana court while he was being tried for another crime.
Dajti’s latest trial saw major delays due to the many procedural obstacles orchestrated by the accused.
Dajti had said he doesn’t have money for a lawyer and has threatened all court-appointment attorneys in a bid to get a mistrial, judicial experts told the Albanian media. Dajti also publicly threatened the life of a judge in his case.
A prisoner rights’ advocate told the media Dajti had been sedated so he would not react in court, where he had had regular outbursts.