Oh, I'd walk a country mile, To receive a speedy trial, But I guess that appeal will take a while.

posted by Bill Arnett @ 10:31 AM Permalink

Just a quick word about the further national shame heaped upon the country by the "shell game" or "button, button, who's got the button" prosecution and conviction of Jose Padilla.

The title above says it all: EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN IS ENTITLED TO A SPEEDY TRIAL, and failure to provide one in a timely manner has been the cause for countless courts overturning countless convictions obtained after denying a defendant that constitutional right. Of course, that requirement can be voluntarily waived in front of the judge or magistrate and with advice of counsel.

No one, not God herself, will ever convince me that Jose Padilla, at the time of his capture, voluntarily waived his right to a speedy trial at any point during any of the period of his illegal confinement in that Navy brig, and the fact that the government conspired to handle his case in a manner guaranteed to deny Padilla his right to a speedy trial is no fault of Padilla's.

If ever there was a case calling for dismissal upon those grounds, it is Jose Padilla, and it should and must be done to insure EVERY AMERICAN'S RIGHT to a speedy trial.

Labels: civil liberties, civil rights, conspiracy, Courts, US Constitution