DhafirTrial

I’m traveling for the next two weeks and will not update this website. However, there are many interesting posts and articles on the site and I encourage you to browse.

For an overview of how the site works see: About This Site.

Katherine

(Published 2/21/08 with the title, “Do we want Dhafir’s justice to be America’s?” The last paragraph was not included in the Post-Standard.)

To the editor:

On February 26, 2003, Dr. Rafil Dhafir, a prominent Syracuse oncologist, was arrested and 150 Muslim families interrogated in connection with a charity established to provide humanitarian aid to children suffering in Iraq. As we approach the fifth anniversary of that arrest, it seems pertinent to question the continued persecution of Dr. Dhafir, an Iraqi-born U.S. citizen of some 30 years. (more…)

The Opening Appeal Brief, submitted 2/08/08, is available here (77 pages).
The Government Response Brief, submitted 4/08/08, is available here (105 pages).
The Reply Brief to the Government Brief, submitted 5/14/08, is available here (26 pages).

We now await a date for oral arguments to be set, most likely for some time in the fall.

What is an appeal?:

It’s not a retrial. The appellate court does not decide a defendant’s innocence or guilt, it decides whether the court proceedings were conducted according to the law. The appeal lawyers are limited to the official record of proceedings (more…)

[KH: Updated with the new warden’s name, 2/10/08.]

Please write to the warden at the Communications Management Unit, Terre Haute, Indiana, and ask her to look into the medical conditions in the unit because the health care is so poor it is a threat to the health and sometimes the life of the prisoners. Please be courteous in all communication. (more…)

“You are all Dead Ducks”

By Mike Whitney Information Clearing House 2/16/08

Even veteran Fed-watchers were caught off-guard by Chairman Bernanke’s performance before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. (more…)

William Fisher Inter Press Service 2/16/08

President George W. Bush’s critics are charging that he is attempting to use a “backdoor signing statement” to thwart Congress’ desire to lift the veil of secrecy that has shrouded the U.S. Government for the past seven years. (more…)

by Marjorie Cohn Jurist 2/15/08 Seen on Commondreams

The Bush administration has announced its intention to try six alleged al Qaeda members at Guantánamo under the Military Commissions Act. That Act forbids the admission of evidence extracted by torture, although it permits evidence obtained by cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment if it was secured before December 30, 2005. (more…)

From St. Louis Instead of War Coalition

He will speak on Tuesday, February 19, at Wash U’s 560 Music Building (formerly COCA, corner of Delmar and Trinity) in University City. (more…)