<p>The snub by Taylor, the first African head of state to be tried by an international court, came as his three-year-old trial lurched towards a rancorous conclusion.<br /><br />Lawyer Courtenay Griffiths accused the judges of "a personalised attack on us" after they refused to admit a document summarising the defence's response to allegations that Taylor armed rebels who killed and maimed thousands in Sierra Leone.<br /><br />"This is about ego, not justice," Griffiths told journalists outside the courtroom, claiming the judges were merely trying to teach his client a lesson.<br /><br />Taylor, 62, has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, claiming his trial was based on "lies" and an intelligence conspiracy.<br /><br />But the prosecution argued yesterday that Taylor bore "the greatest responsibility for the horrific crimes committed against the people of Sierra Leone through the campaign of terror inflicted on them."<br /><br />While conceding the defence final brief was filed 20 days late, Griffiths insisted that neither he nor his client would return to court until there is a decision on his application, submitted yesterday, for leave to appeal the document's exclusion.<br /><br />The lawyer was scheduled to present oral, closing arguments today but stormed out of the courtroom the day before, prompting Taylor's refusal to return to the courtroom from a morning coffee break.Both remained defiantly absent today.<br /><br />The court received a letter stating that Taylor "has waived his right to be present".<br />With nobody in court to present closing arguments, judge Teresa Doherty adjourned the proceedings to Friday -- originally set aside for both parties to rebut contentions in each other's closing statements</p>
<p>The snub by Taylor, the first African head of state to be tried by an international court, came as his three-year-old trial lurched towards a rancorous conclusion.<br /><br />Lawyer Courtenay Griffiths accused the judges of "a personalised attack on us" after they refused to admit a document summarising the defence's response to allegations that Taylor armed rebels who killed and maimed thousands in Sierra Leone.<br /><br />"This is about ego, not justice," Griffiths told journalists outside the courtroom, claiming the judges were merely trying to teach his client a lesson.<br /><br />Taylor, 62, has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, claiming his trial was based on "lies" and an intelligence conspiracy.<br /><br />But the prosecution argued yesterday that Taylor bore "the greatest responsibility for the horrific crimes committed against the people of Sierra Leone through the campaign of terror inflicted on them."<br /><br />While conceding the defence final brief was filed 20 days late, Griffiths insisted that neither he nor his client would return to court until there is a decision on his application, submitted yesterday, for leave to appeal the document's exclusion.<br /><br />The lawyer was scheduled to present oral, closing arguments today but stormed out of the courtroom the day before, prompting Taylor's refusal to return to the courtroom from a morning coffee break.Both remained defiantly absent today.<br /><br />The court received a letter stating that Taylor "has waived his right to be present".<br />With nobody in court to present closing arguments, judge Teresa Doherty adjourned the proceedings to Friday -- originally set aside for both parties to rebut contentions in each other's closing statements</p>