Egypt’s interim government referred deposed president Mohammed Morsi to trial on charges related to the deaths of a dozen protesters killed outside the presidential palace last year.

A state prosecutor charged Mursi and 14 other Muslim Brotherhood members with “committing acts of violence, and inciting killing and thuggery”, in the worst act of violence of Morsi’s short time in office.  Tens of thousands of protesters had gathered outside the palace to rally against Morsi’s power grab and inserting Islamist articles into the constitution. 

The security forces refused Morsi’s orders to disperse the peaceful protest, so the Muslim Brotherhood called its members to “defend” Morsi.  Violence ensued.

The new government also named a constituent assembly almost devoid of Muslim Brotherhood members or other Islamists.  It will have 60 days to go through the constitution and delete Islamic articles written in last year by the Brotherhood its more hardline Islamist allies.