Top Gitmo lawyer: ‘We can’t have acquittals.’
Col. Morris Davis resigned his position as chief prosecutor for Guantánamo Bay’s military commissions after being placed under the command of torture advocate William J. Haynes. As a result of a conversation he had with Haynes in 2005, Davis tells The Nation that he doesn’t believe “the men at Guantánamo could receive a fair trial“:
“I said to him that if we come up short and there are some acquittals in our cases, it will at least validate the process,” Davis continued. “At which point, [Haynes’s] eyes got wide and he said, ‘Wait a minute, we can’t have acquittals. If we’ve been holding these guys for so long, how can we explain letting them get off? We can’t have acquittals, we’ve got to have convictions.’”
View Most Popular
Advertisement
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
Reports
In depth studies on select topics
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Beck
Big Oil
Bolton
Bush
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Economy
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
GI Bill
Global Warming
Guantanamo
Hagee
Health Care
Immigration
Iran
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
McCain
McClellan
Media
Military
O'Hanlon
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Politics
Race
Radical Right
RNC Convention
Rove
Surveillance
Terrorism
Third Bush Term
Torture
Veterans
Wiretapping
Women's Rights
ArchivesBlog Roll
more proof, that state sponsored terrorism is still terrorism…
February 20th, 2008 at 3:46 pmWe can’t have acquittals, we’ve got to have convictions.’
And we’ll manufacture evidence if we have to to make sure that we get a conviction.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:48 pmAnd this validates that the process used originally to identify them, arrest them, and interrogate them was valid and impartial ?
February 20th, 2008 at 3:48 pmDamn straight.
Comment by Frank M — February 20, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
So you care MORE about getting a conviction, than whether the person deserved it or not? Because you don’t want to LOOK BAD? WOW, you really are a little FASCIST PIGGIE! Do us all a favor, and leave this country to the Americans, and get the hell out of here you interloping POS!
February 20th, 2008 at 3:51 pmComment by Frank M — February 20, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
Damn stupid
(What else could one expect from a Chimpy rim licker?)
February 20th, 2008 at 3:52 pmGot fascism Frank M? You are as unAmerican as a human can be. Every Mexican here or in Mexico deserves to be considered a citizen before you do. You hopefully, one day soon, wil be a exposed and become a man without a country.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:53 pmFrank M, I am sure that you would be happier in North Korea - why don’t you go check it out? Lots of people there just like you.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:54 pmThat should be easy, since they don’t have to disclose any evidence, just convict and execute, quickly, before the defendants or their lawyers can spill the beans.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:55 pmThey’re guilty until proven guilty???
Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, Mr. Rumsfeld:
YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH.
http://www.newsprism.com
February 20th, 2008 at 3:55 pmGot fascism Frank M? You are as unAmerican as a human can be. Every Mexican here or in Mexico deserves to be considered a citizen before you do. You hopefully, one day soon, wil be a exposed and become a man without a country.
Comment by Shayne
That’s the problem - this person is not a man at all. This person is a traitor and a coward.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:56 pmWe’ll give them a fair trial,
February 20th, 2008 at 3:57 pmand then we’ll hang ‘em.
Frank M has proven that the most reasonable way to deal with his comments is to ridicule them, briefly, then move on.
He’s an admitted fascist and contributes no more to this forum than a grain of sand contributes to an oyster.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:58 pmwhy waste money on a trial? hell, why move them to gitmo? catch, torture them in the field and then shoot them. it’s the republican way.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:59 pmHell that quote alone is enough for a frickin acquittal.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:59 pmHe’s an admitted fascist and contributes no more to this forum than a grain of sand contributes to an oyster.
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — February 20, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Feh. That would imply that the fascist’s contributions would eventually produce a pearl. It’s more like the minor annoyance of stepping in dog poop.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:00 pmI can’t believe they actually held these guys.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:01 pmFrank I hate bad guys, too. But you’re an idiot.
Guilty until proven innocent.
I sugest we use THAT motto when members of the Bush Administration are arrested!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:01 pm“We can’t have acquittals, we’ve got to have convictions.”
Funny, I was just saying this about the war crimes charges that will be brought up against the Bush administration.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:05 pmKangaroo Court anyone?
So, this implies that some of these guys just might be innocent and have been held all these years just because some opposing Warlord turned them in to get rid of the opposition?
And now we don’t want to look like the ignorant, arrogant war mongers…too late.
Buck Fush
February 20th, 2008 at 4:06 pmwhy waste money on a trial? hell, why move them to gitmo? catch, torture them in the field and then shoot them. it’s the republican way.
Comment by Bobwurst
yeah, or just take them out behind the chemical building and shoot them in the head.
you guys quit praising Frank……he loves the attention and is an admitted facist so he just thinks you are complementing him.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:10 pmThey can’t have acquittals for the same reason Gonzo has to pre-approve questions, Bush can’t answer anything w/o a teleprompter, Cheney, Condi, Assington & Meirs won’t answer to a subpoena, Mufakesy won’t answer to waterboarding, et al.
Short version:
Repukes can’t handle the Truth!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:11 pm“We can’t have acquittals…”
- - ‘Atta way boys, shoot that arrow then draw the bullseye around it.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:11 pmReminds me of Governor Lepetamaine’s classic line,
“Gentlemen, we’ve got these phoney baloney jobs to protect!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:13 pmPotentially false convictions with no appeal. Confirms repubs want to empower the terrorists.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:17 pmDamn straight? Is that like “scared straight”, with poor grammar? Was Frank M crooked before? Or gay before?
February 20th, 2008 at 4:17 pmGates seemed to be cleaning house with his arrival, but missed a spot.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:20 pmDamn straight? Is that like “scared straightâ€, with poor grammar? Was Frank M crooked before? Or gay before?
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian — February 20, 2008 @ 4:17 pm
Before what ?
February 20th, 2008 at 4:21 pmDamn straight? Is that like “scared straightâ€, with poor grammar? Was Frank M crooked before? Or gay before?
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian
Its a red state coloquilism…..southern man would understand. In franks case it means both although I think he is still gay……
February 20th, 2008 at 4:21 pmDamn straight.
Comment by Frank M — February 20, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
Dispatched troll from the “Hit and Run Section, RNC Troll Department”
No thanks for the thuggish two-word drop, Frank.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:25 pmBefore what ?
Comment by MCMetal — February 20, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
No idea, Frankie didn’t tell us. Before Bush, maybe?
To be serious, our governmental and military leaders need to get one thing damn straight: the Constitution of the United States of America is not an optional guideline but the very fabric of our democracy. Burning THAT fabric is a sh**load more dangerous than flag burning. So, Frankie can stuff his coloquilism into his methane producing orifice and put that fire out.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:28 pmFrancine was amazed regarding his little thing. Surprise, mixed with elation, Damn! Straight!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:31 pmSo it’s more important to convict somebody wrongly accused than it is to see justice done. After all, we must do everything possible to avoid admitting that we might have made a mistake in imprisoning somebody.
And kool-aid drinkers like Frank M. think this is the right thing to do.
What happened to the America I love? What happened to our values?
February 20th, 2008 at 4:38 pmHaynes should be tried immediately in an international court for obstruction of justice. Fair and impartial Justice is unfortunately unavailable in the U.S. Justice system, as long as the criminals and idiots in the Bush Administration are in charge. They continue to embarrass and shame our country with this kind of crap.
Tom Paulk
February 20th, 2008 at 4:47 pmSounds like the same kind of “justice” that was handed out in Stalin’s Russia.
Welkom to Amerika!
February 20th, 2008 at 4:50 pmAnd the same party that Frank belongs to is threatening to “lynch” Michelle Obama for being “really proud” of her country for the first time in her adult life. Well I’m not proud of my country yet. Maybe after Barack is elected I can be proud, finally. This country led by Reagan, Bush 1 & 2, and the weakness of the people that allowed Clinton to be impeached for trying to be discreet about a sex act. The people have still not demanded to know what happened to JFK, MLK, Robert Kennedy and how this is all tied up to GHW Bush, Texas and the mess we’re in now. We’re the country than invades sovereign nations and tortures, wow, I sure am proud.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:11 pmsickies have taken over, and dullards don’t seem to mind.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:12 pmSorry about the rant but I’m mad as hell. And I would finish the statement but am afraid some nimrod would accuse me of plagiarism.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:12 pmand i did mean to include Frank in the “dullards” category.
you can go ahead and flag me for it Frank. i don’t really care.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:13 pmDon’t worry Shayne, it just shows that you are paying attention.
Buck Fush
February 20th, 2008 at 5:49 pmSorry about the rant but I’m mad as hell. And I would finish the statement but am afraid some nimrod would accuse me of plagiarism.
Comment by Shayne — February 20, 2008 @ 5:12 pm
Nah. Just righteous anger. We used to have a word for countries which had secret prisons and kangaroo courts. We called them “enemies”.
Make no mistake, enemies of America have seized control of our government. However, We The People are waking up. Hang in there, Shayne, there is room for hope.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:47 pmFor someone of so little consequence, the troll Francine has now been mentioned in approximately half the posts on this thread. It’s amazing what a troll can do with a few words. I bet it’s thrilled.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:48 pm.
“… we can’t have acquittals. If we’ve been holding these guys for so long, how can we explain letting them get off? We can’t have acquittals, we’ve got to have convictions.”
R E M E M B E R:
The convictions come with the death sentence.
All good dictators understand the need to cover one’s tracks. In this case, how can a dead man speak truth? And how can that truth shed light on the events of 9-1-1?
Will it always be 19 box cutters?
Will 3.5 oz. of shampoo always explode?
Will being Muslim always make me the suspect?
.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:48 am.
#42 Comment by bilbobaggins — February 20, 2008 @ 6:48 pm
W H O ?
.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:01 am