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Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo

The New York Times reports that flights are filling up to Guantanamo....with American volunteer lawyers offering to defend the detainees. The Supreme Court ruled a year ago the detainees have the right to challenge their detention in federal court, so the Bush Administration can no longer keep them out.

The detainees are not entitled to lawyers at government expense, but in increasing numbers, private firms are offering up their lawyers pro bono. One of the reasons: changing views about the detentions, particularly the idea of holding people for three years, without charges or access to counsel. So far, 300 lawyers have signed up.

A meeting earlier this month in New York City at the law firm Clifford Chance drew dozens of new volunteer lawyers who attended lectures from other lawyers who have been through the rigorous process of getting the government to allow them access to Guantánamo.

..."In the beginning, just after 9/11, we couldn't get anybody," said Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, a group based in New York that is coordinating the assigning of lawyers to prisoners. The earliest volunteers, Mr. Ratner said, were those who regularly handled death-penalty clients and were accustomed to representing the reviled in near-hopeless cases.

But in recent months, some of the nation's largest and most prominent firms have enlisted in the effort and devoted considerable resources to it, including Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr; Clifford Chance; Covington & Burling; Dorsey & Whitney; and Allen & Overy.

"People are now eager to take this on," Mr. Ratner said. The law firms are bearing all the expenses, he said.

The influx of lawyers reportedly has had a favorable effect on conditions at Guantanamo: interrogations have become less frequent and there are fewer complaints of abuse. It's not all pie and ice cream though:

Some lawyers have said that interrogators at Guantánamo Bay have tried to discourage prisoners from trusting them. They have said that some inmates have been sharply questioned after their lawyers depart and that others have been told they should not trust lawyers who are Jewish.

And lawyers still are unable to accompany their clients to their tribubal hearings. While none of these lawyers' clients have been released, I suspect it's only a matter of time. Kudos to them for making the effort. [link via Raw Story.]

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    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Now they have lawyers Jim. Thank you to all the legal profession that are working and supporting this work.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#2)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    This is going to be fun to watch, let us all hope not one of the lawyer's gets his head cut off. but wouldn't that also be fun to watch?

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#3)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Yes, there is still hope for this country after all. Thank you, patriots.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#4)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:28 PM EST
    Lawyers flocking sounds funny, in fact if you see flocking lawyers you know something is dead.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#5)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    Fred, Sometimes you make me laugh, bro. Flocking lawyers sensing the carnage is right. But here they ARE right. Lord only knows what kind of harrassment they could be in for. The big computer that contains their permanent record will have a big fat asterisk in it, *helped terrorists* And only can only wonder what effect that will have on their lives. Big Brother ain't just watchin'. He's recording, transcribing and indexing, too.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    what is so impressive about large numbers of radical lawyers flocking to hurt the US and, yes, help terrorists. like Ms. Stewart, they undoubtedly have an admiration for those will to break a few eggs.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    like Ms. Stewart, they undoubtedly have an admiration for those will to break a few eggs
    Huh? Nurse, I'd like to report a patient whose off his meds.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    lynn stewart, terrorist admirer. I believe subject of many posts here. one and the same with those who flock to Guantanamo. when I see them flocking to Saudi Arabia to argue for lessening of restrictions on religious practice, I will be impressed. I would not be impressed with lawyers flocking to defend Nazis either. [This commenter is limited to four comments a day. He's a chatterer, see our comment policy.]

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    Hummm... lawyers chasing ambulances.. now there's a surprise!

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    don't forget-as a predicate for representing them, they have to mouth the proper platitudes for their clients ie. religion of peace, excuses for vile anti-semitism, expect all detainees to claim to be innocent cabdrivers dropping off fares.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    expect all detainees to claim to be innocent cabdrivers dropping off fares.
    And latent racism again rears it's ugly head, this time by the RWNJ's. Oh well, I'm sure some LWNJ will be along shortly to do the same thing.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    majority of cabbies in Chicago are of Middle Eastern descent. not a matter of race, just facts. perhaps to satisfy you, I will change analogy to "took a wrong turn in Pakistan and thought AK-47 was cellphone or PDA" defense.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    Don't hurt yourself Ed. It's pretty clear you don't believe that someone who stands accused has the right to representation, from your previous comments. If you like Kangaroo courts so much, try moving to one of our "Allies" like Uzbekistan. They don't like defendants to have representation either. And I'm sure their "tough on criminals" policy will satisfy your bloody desires.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    I'm not straining. I don't view war as a law enforcement matter. do I want enemy combatants to have access to US courts and lawyers. No-I think it is a formula for suicide. when a detainee is released to continue terror and killing, as several have, will you be there to clean up the bodies or will you be looking at yourself admiringly in the mirror?

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    Another lovely Logical fallacy from the Right. War is not a "law enforcement matter", but "law enforcement matters do arise in war". If you think the WOT should have be exclusively in the military arena, and not the law enforcement, I for one am glad you have nothing to do with policy planning. As for your allegation...
    when a detainee is released to continue terror and killing, as several have
    Can you provide any links to terrorist acts that were comitted by released detainees from Gitmo? If not, I'l just dismiss this statement as typical RWNJ bombast. Again, try Uzbekistan. It sounds like you would find the kind of govt. you always wanted.

    Re: Volunteer Lawyers Flock to Guantanamo (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:30 PM EST
    try this one: (required only a quick google). I believe I also read of a released detainee who kidnapped chinese nationals in Pakistan. Again, I thank God we were wiser in WWII-or would Clifford Chance attys have flocked to Nazi Germany to get prisoners of war released?(probably yes if Bush were in charge) [link deleted, not in html format. Also, this commenter is limited to four comments a day. He's a chatterer, see our comment policy.]