US postpones first Guantanamo war crimes trial

[struggle4progress]

Source: Associated Press

By BEN FOX

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — ...

Navy Capt. Keith Allred ruled the trial for Osama bin Laden's former driver should be delayed seven weeks, until July 21, in case the Supreme Court ruling affects his case. He scheduled pretrial hearings to begin a week earlier.

A Supreme Court ruling is expected by June 30.

Defense lawyers for Salim Ahmed Hamdan, whose trial was scheduled to start June 2, had requested a postponement. Military prosecutors had said they were eager to go to trial.

The military judge's ruling is the latest in a series of delays for the government as it tries to prosecute Hamdan, a Yemeni, for acting as bin Laden's personal driver in Afghanistan, helping him to evade U.S. retribution following the Sept. 11 attacks ...

Read more: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hlkUMaokG6I7flYKGhlBfsW9qP9wD90N83C00

[Ian David]

1. Didn't they remove the judge for also advising the prosecution? n/t

[gratuitous]

2. I don't think anyone could have predicted . . .

Following rules of procedure, due process, evidentiary code and so forth. Can't the Decider just declare them guilty and be done with it? What's with all this judging and witnesses and stuff? It's so hard! How did Stalin get those show trials to run so smoothly?

[ToughLuck]

3. I so wish this case could be televised. Hamdan v Rumsfeld, this case

is what prompted the Military Commssion Act..anyone know if there are/were any plans by the ACLU to present this act before the SCOTUS to judge its constitutionality??

This is one concern I have, will the next president repeal this disgusting act, if not, we cannot say we are a nation of laws with checks and balances.

Fuck you Bush and your sick twisted mind.