rssConservative Groups Oppose Indefinite Detention of U.S. Resident in U.S. Prison
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 1:48 pm
- 3 Comments
Turns out that even conservatives can’t stomach the indefinite detention of a lawful U.S. resident, without charge, in an American prison.
In an amicus brief filed today in federal court, the libertarian Cato Institute and the conservative Rutherford Institute, along with the bipartisan Constitution Project, are urging the Obama administration to reverse course on the case of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri.
As we’ve reported before, FBI agents arrested al-Marri, a 28-year-old father of five who was legally living with his family in Peoria, Ill., in 2003 and imprisoned him in a U.S. Navy brig in South Carolina. He’s been held there without charge for the last five years as a so-called “enemy combatant” — a situation the Bush administration consistently contended was perfectly legal.
The Obama administration, in an executive order last week, announced it would review al-Marri’s case — the only known instance of a legal U.S. resident being held indefinitely, and without charge, within U.S. borders. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had accepted the Bush administration’s position in the case and allowed it to keep holding al-Marri for as long as it wanted; the U.S. Supreme Court has since agreed to hear the case.
The Obama administration successfully sought an extension of time to respond to al-Marri’s petition to the Supreme Court. The Justice Department’s brief is now due in mid-March, and the case is scheduled for argument on April 20.
Many legal experts watching the proceedings have predicted that the Obama administration will move al-Marri into the criminal justice system before the Supreme Court gets a chance to decide it.
3 Comments
Pingback posted January 27, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
[...] in Democrats, Government, Obama administration at 11:24 am by LeisureGuy Daphne Eviatar in the Washington Independent: Turns out that even conservatives can’t stomach the indefinite detention of a lawful U.S. [...]
Comment posted January 29, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
The case is just the tip of the iceburg in the increasing criminal INjustice system. Even at the State levels; our prison population is exploded in the past decade with non violent offenders. Incarceration affects not only the non violent offender who is discriminated against in employment after serving TIME; but the entire family is impacted. Legislators in State Government have rewritten Constitutional Laws giving Law Enforcement broad discretionary authority to arrest based on BIAS, favoritism, and nepotism. State Legislators are moving to pass 'racial impact' bills as THEIR answer to this injustice. This bill does NOT prevent targeted individual from Police harassment, planted evidence, and false reports. This bill gives the JUDGE discretionary authority in sentencing; as if Judges have integrity without bias! This bill is a prime example of the Legislative Body (who are more and more in the Legal profession as it provides untold personal profiteering for their own lawfirms and their cronies) NOT addressing the problem head on. Their laws are ALWAYS in their own best interests and NOT in the public's best interest.
Comment posted January 29, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
The case is just the tip of the iceburg in the increasing criminal INjustice system. Even at the State levels; our prison population is exploded in the past decade with non violent offenders. Incarceration affects not only the non violent offender who is discriminated against in employment after serving TIME; but the entire family is impacted. Legislators in State Government have rewritten Constitutional Laws giving Law Enforcement broad discretionary authority to arrest based on BIAS, favoritism, and nepotism. State Legislators are moving to pass 'racial impact' bills as THEIR answer to this injustice. This bill does NOT prevent targeted individual from Police harassment, planted evidence, and false reports. This bill gives the JUDGE discretionary authority in sentencing; as if Judges have integrity without bias! This bill is a prime example of the Legislative Body (who are more and more in the Legal profession as it provides untold personal profiteering for their own lawfirms and their cronies) NOT addressing the problem head on. Their laws are ALWAYS in their own best interests and NOT in the public's best interest.
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