To the Point
Has Guantanamo Bay Outlived Its Usefulness?
The treatment of prisoners at Guant--namo Bay "was clearly abusive" and "contrary to everything we were ever taught about American values." That comes not from a human rights group but the recently retired General Counsel for the United States Navy. President Bush has said repeatedly that the US does not "torture" so-called "enemy combatants" in the war on terror, but Alberto Mora, a Bush appointee, says there's no moral or practical distinction between Pentagon policy and authorization of torture. Tony Blair and Angela Merkel have been critical of Guant--namo Bay and a United Nations report says it ought to be shut down. What makes a captive an "enemy combatant?" How long can he be held without charge? What constitutes "abusive" treatment? What's the role of Guant--namo in the war on terror?Making News: Doctors' Objections Halt Execution in CaliforniaAn execution scheduled for California's San Quentin Prison early this morning has been postponed at least until this evening. A federal judge ordered that two doctors be present to make sure that lethal injection was not cruel and unusual punishment under the Constitution, but at the last minute, the doctors walked out. Henry Weinstein covers legal affairs for the Los Angeles Times.Reporter's Notebook: Supreme Court Weighs In on Clean Water ActWith Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts now firmly in place, the US Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of late-term abortion. That will be sometime next fall. Today, it's hearing a case involving development on private land that could reverse decades of environmental regulations based on the Clean Water Act. David Savage covers the court for the Los Angeles Times.
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenThe treatment of prisoners at Guant--namo Bay "was clearly abusive" and "contrary to everything we were ever taught about American values." That comes not from a human rights group but the recently retired General Counsel for the United States Navy. President Bush has said repeatedly that the US does not "torture" so-called "enemy combatants" in the war on terror, but Alberto Mora, a Bush appointee, says there's no moral or practical distinction between Pentagon policy and authorization of torture. Tony Blair and Angela Merkel have been critical of Guant--namo Bay and a United Nations report says it ought to be shut down. What makes a captive an "enemy combatant?" How long can he be held without charge? What constitutes "abusive" treatment? What's the role of Guant--namo in the war on terror?
Doctors' Objections Halt Execution in California
An execution scheduled for California's San Quentin Prison early this morning has been postponed at least until this evening. A federal judge ordered that two doctors be present to make sure that lethal injection was not cruel and unusual punishment under the Constitution, but at the last minute, the doctors walked out. Henry Weinstein covers legal affairs for the Los Angeles Times.
Supreme Court Weighs In on Clean Water Act
With Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts now firmly in place, the US Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of late-term abortion. That will be sometime next fall. Today, it's hearing a case involving development on private land that could reverse decades of environmental regulations based on the Clean Water Act. David Savage covers the court for the Los Angeles Times.
California Medical Association's opposition to physician involvement in capital punishment
Los Angeles Times' article on anesthesiologists' refusal to participate in execution
Report by UN Commission on Human Rights on situation of detainees at Guant--namo Bay
Mayer's article and interview with Alberto Mora on his effort to ban abuse, torture of detainees
Farley's article on US rejection of UN Guant--namo Report
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003
Savage's article on Supreme Court consideration of Clean Water Act
Savage's article on Supreme Court agreeing to hear case on partial-birth abortion