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Moussaoui Setback in Supreme Court

Accused 9/11 defendant Zacarias Moussaoui has lost his bid to the Supreme Court to require that 3 alleged 9/11 participants be made available to him for interviews.

The defense has wanted to question Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks; Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi, viewed as one of the financiers of the hijackings; and Ramzi bin al-Shaibah, who is suspected of coordinating them.

Defense attorneys said testimony from the al Qaeda captives could help prove Moussaoui was not involved in the attacks. The captives have been held as "enemy combatants" and have been interrogated overseas by the United States.

In the Supreme Court appeal, Moussaoui's attorneys said he could not get a fair trial if faced with "a dangerous new loophole" to his constitutional right to call witnesses. "In place of the constitutional protections that have been erected to give a defendant a fair trial, Moussaoui is told to just trust … summaries authored by the government of what it says these witnesses would say," the attorneys said.

Here are the issues raised in the appeal. Previously, the 4th Circuit had ruled (pdf)that although the Government improperly refused to allow Moussaoui to interview witnesses being held as enemy combatants who may be able to show he was not a member of the 9/11 attack conspiracy, the Judge's remedy of preventing the Government from seeking the death penalty was excessive.

I disagree. How can we countenance putting someone to death when the government has witnesses under its control that could provide exculpatory information relevant to a jury's decision on life or death?

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    Re: Moussaoui Setback in Supreme Court (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 21, 2005 at 06:26:33 PM EST
    Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

    Re: Moussaoui Setback in Supreme Court (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 21, 2005 at 09:13:01 PM EST
    I think there is no way these potential witnesses will ever see the light of day. They may be and probably are bad guys, but if we knew what "we" have done to them, most of us would be completely appalled. Some would argue that they never had it so good or it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, but that says much more about a heart of darkness and lack of judgement than it does about anything else.

    Re: Moussaoui Setback in Supreme Court (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 21, 2005 at 09:15:36 PM EST
    On the merits of the case as I understand them, I do think it's a mistake to let the prosecution seek the death penalty and not give the defendant every chance to prove his innocence. Seems like there are some bill of right issues about due process and the right to call witnesses that should not be walked on no matter what the polls say. As someone recently said: "In cases like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life."

    Re: Moussaoui Setback in Supreme Court (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 22, 2005 at 02:34:25 PM EST
    C.A. but if we knew what "we" have done to them, most of us would be completely appalled. No...'most' of us wouldn't. 'Most' of us would be willing & happy to give them what they have comming & not coddle them!

    Re: Moussaoui Setback in Supreme Court (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 23, 2005 at 06:41:40 AM EST
    Heart of darkness.