Can We Talk About This? Padilla

By Marty Salo

News Correspondent

Supposedly, Padilla has been ruled fit to stand trial.   

Of course, things can still go horribly wrong.

Al Qaeda could get lucky again.

If that were to happen, perhaps the significance of the judicial system working things through to completion might seem less significant. 

 Anyway, Padilla paid attention, and talked about legal manuvering.  *Poof*

 

 

Marty Salo, News Correspondent:

Can We Talk About This?, published every day to Gather Essentials: News is about current news.

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Padilla ruled fit for terrorism trial
Reuters ^ | Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:55PM EST | Jane Sutton

Posted on 02/28/2007 2:03:12 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

MIAMI (Reuters) - Former "enemy combatant" Jose Padilla is mentally competent to stand trial on terrorism charges, a U.S. judge ruled on Wednesday.

 

The 36-year-old American is scheduled to go to trial on April 16 on charges that he aided Islamist extremists and conspired with them to murder, kidnap and maim people overseas.

 

His lawyers argued that years of secret detention and interrogation by the U.S. military left him mentally impaired.

 

U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Cooke said Padilla had paid attention in court, had discussed some of the legal maneuvering with doctors who examined him and had been able to give his attorneys at least some information about his detention at a U.S. military brig.

 

"This defendant clearly has the capacity to assist his attorneys," Cooke said.

 

Cooke did not address whether Padilla's detention without charges, or his treatment during interrogation, constituted "outrageous conduct" that would merit dismissal of the charges, as argued by his lawyers.

 

"That discussion is for another day," she said. 

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...