US remodels Guantanamo hearings

[cal04]

The military authorities in the United States have announced changes to the military commission that will try detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The structure of the trials will now be similar to a traditional US court room, with a presiding officer effectively acting as a judge. The accused will be present at the hearing, except when classified information is discussed. But human rights organisations remained critical of the new tribunal set-up.

'Judge and jury'
The Pentagon said its aim was to model the military commissions at Guantanamo Bay more closely on the judge and jury structure. Each hearing will have a presiding officer who will effectively act as the judge and decide most questions of law. There will also be a number of panel members who will support the presiding officer but also work like a jury. They will determine findings and set sentences.

Accused at hearing
The Department of Defence has also clarified rules on the presence of the accused at his own trial. He will be present except when it is necessary to protect classified information. But the Center for Constitutional Rights described the proposals as just window dressing, saying detainees still would not know all the evidence being used against them and had no right of appeal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4203388.stm

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. hey? what more do you want?

This way the guilty get to see witnesses against them, as though this were the real thing! And, the TV and MSM people can take their photo ops and we can tell the courts that we complied.

Did I say guilty? I meant the accused.

Accused of what, you ask? Who cares? We got 'em, we keep them.

[cyberpj]

2. US remodels Guantanamo hearings

US remodels Guantanamo hearings - military officers w/preside as judges

By Daniela Relph
BBC News, Washington

Detainees will in most cases be present at their hearings
The military authorities in the United States have announced changes to the military commission that will try detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
The structure of the trials will now be similar to a traditional US court room, with a presiding officer effectively acting as a judge.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4203388.stm

[goforit]

3. Dress it up and keep playing "house" with people's lives.

[cal04]

4. US lawyer attacks terror trial as 'stunt'

The US Government has responded to international pressure and made more changes to the military tribunal process just weeks before accused Australian terrorist David Hicks is scheduled to face trial.

Amid ongoing concerns from the accused that the system is rigged to produce a conviction, US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld yesterday announced reforms designed to deflect some of that criticism. The changes allow an accused such as Hicks to be present at more of the hearing.

The new tribunal will be based more on a judge-and-jury model than a military court where a panel of military officers with no legal training decide on points of law and sentencing. Now a presiding officer will act more like a judge, deciding on legal arguments, and a panel of military officers will decide the verdict.

But Hicks's US lawyer, Major Michael Mori, said the changes were "just a media stunt". "The most recent manipulations of the military commission procedures represent a desperate attempt to salvage the failed commission process and a confirmation that Mr Hicks will not receive a fair trial," Major Mori said.
"The meaningless changes admit that the military commission is flawed." He said the changes did not increase the defence's access to information or provide any additional rights to Hicks.



http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16462581-2,00.html