Mia Farrow took the stand in the Charles Taylor war crimes trial, and her testimony directly differed from what Naomi Campbell told the court.
UK paper The Star reports that Farrow said:
"What I remember is Naomi Campbell joined us at the table but before she even sat down she recounted an event of that evening. And she said that in the night she had been awakened, some men were knocking at the door. They had been sent by Charles Taylor and they were giving a huge diamond. And she said that she intended to give the diamond to Nelson Mandela's children's charity."
She clarified:
"She was quite excited and said in effect, 'Oh my God, in the middle of the night I was awoken by knocking at the door and it was men sent by Charles Taylor and he sent me a huge diamond.'"
As you may recall, Ms. Campbell testified that she received "small, dirty-looking stones" and wasn't sure what they were, since they were "kind of dirty-looking pebbles" and "I'm used to seeing diamonds shiny and in a box."
But Mia Farrow claims that Ms. Campbell definitely used the word "diamond." According to the New York Post, defense lawyer Morris Kanneh reminded Ms. Farrow that Ms. Campbell and her former agent, Carole White, both made statements about several small rough diamonds and not one "huge" one. But Mia Farrow stuck by her story.
"I didn't see the diamond or diamonds. I can only tell you what Naomi Campbell said," Farrow said.
"Is it possible, Ms. Farrow, that your recollection is in error?" Kanneh asked.
"No. I think I would have remembered diamonds in the plural," Farrow said, calling it "sort of an unforgettable moment."
Ms. Farrow's testimony lines up with the story told by Ms. White. Newsweek reports:
White said Taylor and Campbell were "mildly flirtatious with each other" and that the gift of the diamonds had been discussed over dinner. "It was arranged," said White, according to Agence France-Presse, "that he would send some men back with the gift." Campbell was excited to receive a big, shiny stone, said White, and disappointed when the gems arrived unpolished.
In the video above, the most damning moment seems to be when Mia Farrow is asked, "Who said the diamonds came from Charles Taylor?" and answers: "Naomi Campbell."
Mia: Model Spoke Of 'Huge Diamond' [The Star]
Mia Farrow Contradicts Naomi Campbell's Blood Diamonds Claim [Newsweek]
Mia Farrow Testifies At 'Blood-Diamond' Trial, Contradicting Naomi Campbell's Story [NY Post]
Naomi Campbell said Taylor sent diamond: Mia Farrow [BBC News]
Earlier: Naomi Campbell Testifies, Says Blood Diamonds Looked Dirty
DISCUSSION
Questions:
1.) Does the quantity or cut/uncut nature of the diamond(s) matter? Isn't the point of the trial to connect Taylor with blood diamonds, not some press-created catfight about how many or what state they were in? Wouldn't Mia and Naomi's recollections be close enough as to help substantiate the claim the prosecution is making?
2.) Did the guy Naomi gave the diamonds to know that it was illegal to possess them? Is that why he held on to them all these years?
3.) At what point is the possession of conflict diamonds illegal (which it seems is why the guy with the Mandela charity was arrested)? And what are the perimeters of applying this law? While I am on board with the idea, wouldn't that apply to a LOT of engagement rings?
4.) You get invited to a nice dinner. You meet a guy at the table called Charles Taylor. Do you realize right away he's a warlord? Once you figure it out, what do you do? Do you ask Mandela point blank why he invited the guy? Do you look at Pat Robertson or Quincy Jones or Imran Khan and silently mouth "what the hell"?