Egypt: Bed Ridden Mubarak Pleads 'Not Guilty'

Former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak pled "not guilty" to charges of corruption and complicity in a Cairo court Wednesday.

Flanked by his two sons, who wore white prison uniforms, Mubarak lay on a hospital bed during the duration of the proceedings. Mubarak, along with nine other defendants, were confined in a metal cage inside the courtroom, which is standard practice in Egypt.

"This is the dream of Egyptians, to see him like this, humiliated like he humiliated them for the last 30 years," Ghada Ali, the mother of a 17-year old girl who was killed during the protests, told The Associated Press.

"I want to see their heart explode like my daughter's heart exploded from their single bullet," Ali said, breaking down in sobs.

Murabak -- along with his son Alaa and Gamal, his former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli, and six senior ex-officers -- is on trial for killing protestors during the 18-day demonstrations against his regime in January and February. If convicted, Mubarak could face the death penalty.

The trial was televised around the world, and hundreds of Egyptians gathered outside the police academy courthouse to watch the broadcast on a large screen. It was the first time Mubarak has been seen publicly since his February 10 television address, when he defiantly told Egypt that he would never relinquish power.

"I'm so happy. I feel tomorrow will be better and that the next president knows what could happen to him if he goes against his people," Ahmed Amer, 30, a water utility employee told Los Angeles Times.

Mubarak was wheeled into court on a hospital bed, with an IV drip in his arm. The former president has been suffering from health problems since he stepped down, and has been living at the Sharm el-Sheikh Hospital since April. But, the Egyptian court determined to avoid any and all delays, saying last week that it was prepared to hold the trial at the clinic if Mubarak were too weak to move.

Although his actual condition is unknown, over the past two months there have been reports that Mubarak had cancer, was in a coma, or had suffered a stroke.

A military council is currently running Egypt. Parliamentary elections were originally scheduled for September, but have been delayed at least two months.