Robert H. Jackson Center

James C. Johnson

Mr. Johnson is the Chief of Prosecutions for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The Special Court, an International War Crimes Tribunal set up in 2002 jointly by the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone, is responsible for prosecuting persons who bear the greatest responsibility for violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of Sierra Leone. As such, he supervised four trial teams, prosecuting ten accused, and is currently directing ongoing investigations and supervising closure issues for the Prosecutions and Investigations Sections of the Office of the Prosecutor. Before assuming duties as Chief of Prosecutions, Mr. Johnson was a Senior Trial Attorney with the Special Court and was responsible for trying the former leaders of the Civil Defence Forces, the pro-government militia that fought in the decade-long conflict within Sierra Leone.

Before joining the Special Court in January 2003, Mr. Johnson served for 20 years in the United States Army. Among his tours of duty in the military he served as the Legal Advisor, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partinkirchen, Germany and as an Assistant Professor of International and Operational Law, United States Army Judge Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, Virginia. He also served as a prosecutor and international/operational law advisor to both conventional and special operations units.

His academic degrees include a BS (Business Administration) from the University of Nebraska, a JD from the University of Nebraska and an LL.M. from The Judge Advocate General’s School.