Judge "Reluctant To Give Rumsfeld Immunity From TORTURE ALLEGATIONS"

[kpete]

Dec 8, 10:15 PM EST


Judge weighs torture claim vs. Rumsfeld

By MATT APUZZO
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal judge on Friday appeared reluctant to give Donald H. Rumsfeld immunity from torture allegations, yet said it would be unprecedented to let the departing defense secretary face a civil trial.

"What you're asking for has never been done before," U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan told lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union.

The group is suing on behalf of nine former prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan. The lawsuit contends the men were beaten, suspended upside down from the ceiling by chains, urinated on, shocked, sexually humiliated, burned, locked inside boxes and subjected to mock executions.

...................

Rumsfeld, who leaves the Defense Department on Dec. 18, told Pentagon employees and reporters Friday that the day he learned about abuses at Abu Ghraib was his worst day in office.

more at:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DETAINEE_ABUSE?SITE=CAVEN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[sakabatou]

1. Don't give him immunities!

[babylonsister]

2. I hope the judge is guided by conscience and doing what's right.

So what if it's unprecedented? If it's warranted, go for it, ASAP!

[Phredicles]

3. "The day he learned about... Abu Ghraib was his worst day in office"?

Why, 'cause it meant he got caught?

I just want to see this self-righteous prick on trial SOMEwhere.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. So you can sue a sitting president

but you can sue a retired DOD Secretary? Give me a break.

[Zensea]

5. This judge, Thomas Hogan is also the judge in the Libby case, right?

and these as well

Recently, Chief Judge Thomas Hogan ordered Judith Miller of the New York Times jailed after she refused to disclose her confidential source to a grand jury. Matthew Cooper of Time Magazine avoided jail time after he agreed to reveal his source.
In May 2006, Chief Judge Thomas Hogan signed the search warrant authorizing the FBI to search the Capitol building offices of U.S. Congressman William Jefferson, the only such search in United States history.
In July 2006, Chief Judge Thomas Hogan ruled that An FBI raid on a Louisiana congressman's Capitol Hill office was legal. He rejected requests from lawmakers and Democratic Rep. William Jefferson to return material seized by the FBI in a May 20-21 search of Jefferson's office. Hogan dismissed arguments that the first-ever raid on a congressman's office violated the Constitution's protections against intimidation of elected officials.

I'd say that is a promising sign.

[nam78_two]

6. K&R/nt

[TahitiNut]

7. This whole criminal administration is "unprecedented."

:puke: