The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's trial for crimes against humanity has adjourned the case until mid-October, when a verdict is expected to be announced.
Presiding Judge Raouf Abdel Rahman adjourned the proceedings Thursday, after court-appointed lawyers finished closing arguments for two of Saddam's co-defendants.
The defendants, former Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and former judge Awad Al-Bandar, both protested that the trial had not been fair and objected to the court-appointed attorneys.
Saddam Hussein could face a death sentence if convicted. He and seven others have been on trial since last October for their alleged roles in the killing of nearly 150 Shi'ites more than 20 years ago. The deaths came after an apparent assassination attempt on Saddam in Dujail in 1982.
Saddam appeared in court Wednesday for his defense's closing arguments. He said he was brought to court from a hospital, where he was being force-fed following a hunger strike that began on July 8.
The ex-dictator is demanding to be shot and not hanged if convicted.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.