Judge Not Relenting On CIA Videotapes

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

Friday, February 15, 2008; Page A05

A federal judge ordered the Bush administration yesterday to tell him whether two CIA interrogation videos destroyed in 2005 were relevant to a case before him.

The videos showed the CIA using harsh interrogation methods on two terrorism suspects, but the government has not revealed what information was gleaned. The Justice Department has urged judges not to seek information about the tapes.

U.S. District Judge Richard Roberts rejected that stance last month when he told the government to reveal what evidence it has destroyed since 2005. The deadline to turn over that information was yesterday, but the Justice Department asked Roberts to postpone the deadline.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/14/AR2008021403448.html

[tbyg52]

1. *Please* tell me the dam is finally breaking

"Despair? I can deal with despair. It's the hope that's killing me."

[Gonnuts]

2. So what?

"No you honor, the tapes are NOT relevant to your case. Can we go home now? There are people we left on the rack we have to get back to torturing. Can't have them in stress positions for hours on end now, can we."

So what? What does any of this mean? The proof of what was on the tapes is gone, because the tapes are gone, so we have to rely on is what the White House tells us? Why bother?

[Lasher]

8. If they lie and if something else later crops up that proves they did, they'll bee in deep shit.

It is this possiblity that can motivate folks to spill the beans in just such a case. Judges can get annoyed if they catch someone destroying evidence or tampering with witnesses.

[maddezmom]

3. Judge extends dealine for gov't report until 3/17

Federal judge extends deadline for government report on CIA tape destruction
Nick Fiske at 5:41 PM ET



US District Judge Richard W. Roberts Thursday extended the deadline for the government to comply with an order issued last month requiring it to submit a report to the court by February 14 detailing why the CIA destroyed videotapes showing the interrogation of terror suspects , whether other evidence connected to a lawsuit filed by Yemeni Guantanamo Bay detainee Hani Abdullah was destroyed, and what steps the government has taken to preserve relevant evidence. Roberts issued the order, extending the deadline to March 17, in response to government arguments that compliance could interfere with a US Justice Department criminal probe into the destruction of the tapes. Thursday's order also narrowed the scope of the original order, requiring only that the government detail evidence relevant to the Abdullah's case rather than all evidence relevant to any detainee. AP has more. SCOTUSblog has additional coverage.

more:http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/02/federal-judge-extends-deadline-for.php

[biermeister]

4. move along, nothing to see here

[Jack Rabbit]

5. "Were those tapes relevant to a case before this court?"

"Why, of course not, your honor," said the Bush Administration's attorney, Reynard the Fox.

[lovuian]

6. Bush & Company is in quite a mess

their arrogance is coming to an end

[Supersedeas]

7. if it reveals nothing about the bombings in London -- I guess that makes the President a liar again

[FATCATs]

9. Sounds more like he's backing off to me