How Did This Happen?
Reported by Eleanor - August 23, 2004 -
Shep Smith Studio B (Aug. 23, 3:00 p.m) covered a story about prisoners on trial at Gitmo in Cuba.
Four people have been selected to go on trial shortly. They have been in Gitmo for up to three years with no access to a lawyer or the outside world. They have not been told why they're there. There is no way to appeal their verdicts if convicted. These are select cases - show trials - to legitimize for critics what we're doing at Gitmo.
These military tribunals were last used in 1943 when Nazis came ashore in Florida. They are certain they can convict since the prosecutor picks jurors from his office. Can they get a fair trial? The judge has a reputation for independence. They could get a maximum sentence with no opportunity for appeal, but the Supreme Court ruled in June that these cases are subject to review by a federal court. These four tribunals will be held in 2005. Hundreds are in Gitmo. Even if found innocent, they can still be held indefinitely, or until the War on Terror is finished. "It's not a model system," said Judge Andrew Napolitano. The Supreme Court reigned them in. They didn't want to give trials.
Comment: Not a perfect system?? I shutter to think of what an imperfect system would look like. What happened to our government since John Ashcroft and his Patriot Act took over the justice system? This is as anti-American as anything I have ever heard. When someone brings up this sort of thing to republicans, the answer is: "Everything changed after 9/11." Do we preserve our freedoms by giving up our freedoms? The arrogance of this current government is beyond belief! This story was reported without any question or comment. It was just straight reporting without the usual analysis. We report, you decide?
