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Law and Disorder is a weekly independent civil liberties radio program airing on more than 150 stations and on Apple podcast. Law and Disorder provides timely legal perspectives on issues concerning civil liberties, privacy, right to dissent and practices of torture exercised by the US government and private corporations.
Law and Disorder December 10, 2007
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CCR President Michael Ratner Debriefing from Supreme Court Challenges
Last week the Center for Constitutional rights directly challenged the Bush administrations’ use of torture in violation of domestic and international law and the assertion that anyone can be held indefinitely anywhere in the world on the president’s word alone. The case also challenges the 2006 Republican Congress’s attempt to clear the way with its passage of the Military Commissions Act. (Senate Bill 3930)“The precedent set in past Guantanamo Supreme Court cases—that every person detained has the right to a fair hearing, including those jailed at the detention center for almost six years—is a necessity for any country calling itself a nation under law,†CCR President Michael Ratner.This case may determine once and for all whether there is a constitutional right to habeas corpus – that is, a fair hearing before a real court – for everyone detained by the U.S. government at Guantánamo.
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Dr. Catherine Wilkerson’s Victory Involving A Police Brutality Case In Michigan.
Earlier this year Law and Disorder covered the case of Dr. Catherine Wilkerson. Police used excessive force when they attacked peaceful protestors who rallied at a University of Michigan event sponsored by the American Movement for Israel. As the senior medical professional on scene, Dr. Catherine Wilkerson took responsibility for the well-being of a middle-aged man who claimed he couldn’t breath and lost consciousness. She exhorted the police to get off of him, and was allowed to check his pulse and breathing.Wilkerson later protested when Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel breached ethical medical practices by forcing ammonia into the man’s nostrils and face. It was at this time that she was physically assaulted and detained by Ann Arbor police.No charges were filed until after Dr. Wilkerson wrote a complaint to authorities about the actions of the police officers. A week since writing the letter, Dr. Wilkerson was charged by the Washtenaw County Prosecutor Brian Mackie’s office, at the request of the UM police, with two attempted felonies—one against Officer Warner and one against the EMS personnel. Check out Counter Punch article.
Guest – Dr. Catherine Wilkerson, a physician who practices primary care at a clinic in Ann Arbor that providing care to underserved members of the community.
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Bury the Chains -Adam Hochschild
Today we welcome back author and journalist Adam Hochschild to talk with us about his recent book Bury the Chains. The book takes the reader back to the late 18th century when a small group of Englishmen put forward the radical notion that slavery was wrong.They proposed that Enlightenment ideals of equality and liberty should extend to African slaves held in British colonies.
Law and Disorder December 3, 2007
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Law and Disorder Updates
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The National Lawyers Guild and Society of American Law Teachers Strongly Oppose Homegrown Terror Prevention Act : The bill, H.R. 1955, “The Violent Radicalization Homegrown Terrorism Act of 2007,†was crafted and sponsored by Democrat Jane Harman of California and approved by the House by a margin of 404-6. A mere three Democrats and three Republicans voted against the bill.
- United Nations Torture Panel Says Taser Shock Is Torture – Hosts discuss numerous reports of taser-related deaths including the incident in Vancouver, B.C
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Palestinian Activist Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison
Here on Law and Disorder we’ve followed the pivotal moments in the Mohammed Salah case. Earlier this year, Salah was cleared of terrorism charges but recently convicted of lying about his ties to the Palestinian group Hamas. He faces nearly two years in prison. The sentence for a minor charge of obstruction of justice comes as a major setback for prosecutors who have spent a decade investigating charges that could have put Salah behind bars for life.
Recently however Abdelhaleem Ashqar was sentenced to 11 years, 3 months in prison for refusing to testify before a grand jury about activities of Hamas. U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve told Ashqar that regardless of his political beliefs, he had an obligation to follow U.S. law. She said that once he was granted immunity, he could not refuse to testify before the grand jury.
Guest – Michael Deutsch with the People’s Law Office in Chicago.
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Who Killed Che’ ?
We hear the first speech by our own co-host Michael Smith based on his own research into Che Guevara’s life. Michael tells the audience at the Brecht Forum about his travels to Cuba, his research work with co-host Michael Ratner and lays out the case of how Che could have been murdered. This was one of 3 compelling speeches held at the Brecht Forum. Author and historian Jane Franklin and attorney/civil rights activist Len Weinglass also spoke – Law and Disorder will air those speeches in the weeks to come.
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Check out recent video at the Culture Project’s A Question of Impeachment.