Family, Legal Team: ‘madam Howard-taylor Is Innocent’

MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The family and legal team of former Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor have proclaimed her innocence regarding all charges against her.

They are also questioning the government’s approach to the case and have announced that her defense will move directly to trial.

In a strong statement released on Monday, Howard-Taylor’s legal team explained that this decision came after the prosecution opposed their request for access to evidence they wanted to review during a preliminary examination.

The defense claimed that the court upheld the prosecution’s objection, which they argued restricted Howard-Taylor’s lawyers from accessing potentially favorable evidence and hindered their ability to effectively question witnesses for the prosecution.

“Madam Howard-Taylor is innocent of all these charges,” the statement emphasized.

This assertion represents the defense’s position and has not been established by a final judicial ruling.

The legal team indicated that the defense initially requested a preliminary examination because they believed Howard-Taylor had not received a proper indictment that detailed the specific facts and allegations against her.

They ultimately concluded that moving forward with the preliminary stage wouldn’t sufficiently safeguard the former Vice President’s rights.

“Rather than allow the preliminary stage to become a platform for unproven theories without the safeguard of full discovery, we have chosen to proceed directly to trial,” the statement noted.

The legal team also raised an important procedural point, claiming that as of September 7, 2026, Howard-Taylor had not been indicted by a grand jury.

“As of this statement, Madam Howard-Taylor has not been indicted by a grand jury,” they stated.

While the lawyers acknowledged that the government has made allegations against Howard-Taylor and filed a criminal complaint, they contended that a criminal complaint should not be equated with a grand jury indictment.

They further stressed that even if an indictment were to be issued later, it would not imply a finding of guilt.

“An indictment, if ever returned, would not be a conviction,” the statement added.

The defense’s description of the case’s procedural status could not be independently verified based on the statement alone.

The family and legal team of the former Vice President have accused government officials and certain media outlets of creating the false impression that Howard-Taylor has already been indicted or found guilty.

They described this portrayal as prejudicial and cautioned that consistently presenting allegations as established facts could jeopardize Howard-Taylor’s right to a fair trial.

They urged the government to clearly differentiate between an allegation, an indictment, and a conviction in public statements.

Additionally, the legal team called on public officials to avoid what they termed prejudicial comments while the case is still in the courts.

They emphasized that the media should independently verify the case’s procedural status rather than report allegations as if they were proven facts.

The defense asserted that Howard-Taylor is not asking for special treatment due to her previous role as Vice President. Instead, they argued that she is seeking the constitutional protections that every Liberian is entitled to, such as the presumption of innocence, humane treatment, and a fair and impartial judicial process.

“Madam Howard-Taylor asks for no special treatment — only the constitutional protections owed to every Liberian,” the statement read.

The lawyers challenged the government to present its evidence through the proper judicial channels.

“If the Government has evidence, let it be tested lawfully in court,” the statement added, stressing that accusations should not be treated as convictions.

The statement also called on civil society organizations, religious leaders, and human rights advocates to push for due process and humane treatment for the former Vice President.

The family and legal team encouraged Liberians to stay peaceful and dedicated to justice as the case unfolds, expressing confidence that a thorough examination of the evidence will ultimately clear Howard-Taylor’s name.

“We remain confident that a full hearing on the full record will vindicate her,” the statement concluded.

The prosecution’s reply to the defense’s recent statement, especially regarding the lack of a grand jury indictment and the dispute over evidence access, could be crucial as the case advances to its next stage.

For now, the defense is firmly presenting its main argument to the public: Howard-Taylor asserts her innocence, and her attorneys argue that the government’s claims should be evaluated in court rather than accepted as facts.