New Abu Ghraib photos ready - US Atty requested extension to July 22

[cyberpj]

So they can release everything (photos AND video) at the same time.

I haven't heard what Judge Hellerstein said but since we didn't see the photos on June 30th, as originally ordered, it would seem that Kelley's extension was granted. Right?

I'm sure they wanted to take the one hit upon release instead of two separate hits in the news.

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In issuing his order, U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein of New York City gave the government until June 30 to get the photos ready by removing information in the pictures that might identify the victims. The judge said the photographs "are the best evidence the public can have of what occurred" at Abu Ghraib.

David Kelley, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has asked Hellerstein for an extension - until July 22 - to get all the video and still pictures ready for release.

In a June 10 letter to Hellerstein, Kelley said the government would have the photographs ready by June 30. But "in order to address all of the responsive Darby images at one time," he requested that Hellerstein not order the release of any until the video processing is completed July 22.

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http://passport.ocregister.com/register/common/intercept.jsp?duri=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2eocregister%2ecom%2focr%2f2005%2f06%2f19%2fsections%2fnews%2ffocus%5fgovernment%2farticle%5f566139%2ephp

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In issuing his order, U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein of New York City gave the government until June 30 to get the photos ready by removing information in the pictures that might identify the victims.

David Kelley, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has asked Hellerstein for an extension -- until July 22 -- to get all the images, both video and pictures, ready for release.

The Bush administration is likely to pay a public relations penalty for failing to release all of the Abu Ghraib images sooner.

"There would have been short-term discomfort and pain but then it would have been over with," Nikolas Gvosdev, a senior fellow in strategic studies at The Nixon Center here and an analyst of the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal. "These pictures may all be of the same event but they might convey the impression that the abuse is ongoing."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/19/MNG0NDB1GU1.DTL&feed=rss.news

[Maddy McCall]

1. And the house of cards continues to tumble.

[Roland99]

2. They've had over a year to prepare the photos

[cyberpj]

3. Court Order was only June 2, 2005:

Federal Court Orders Government to Turn Over Videos and Photos Showing Detainee Abuse

NEW YORK -- A federal judge has ordered the Defense Department to turn over dozens of photographs and four movies depicting detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq as part of an ongoing lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

(cont'd)
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18393&c=206

[Roland99]

7. I meant the fact that they've *had* the photos

They have just refused releasing them. If they'd released them long ago, it wouldn't be an issue.

They were worried as it was an election year last year.

[cyberpj]

8. Ah... Yes. Although they could be pretty horrid and that' why

these were withheld.

[yodermon]

4. I was wondering about this.. nominated.

and :kick:

[cyberpj]

9. Me too. Just happened to remember to do some searches today

and still only found these 2 obscure articles on it.

Notice, also, that the extension was requested but there's no word of an official approval so they could be withholding them illegally and not caring about it. (That would be typical.)

[Alpharetta]

5. should have released sooner? No

They stalled until after the 2004 elections. That was the main purpose for not releasing all the images at once.

Sure it may imply the abuse is ongoing. But who's to say it's not?

[dogday]

6. At the sh*t just keeps on coming folks...

The pictures are not going to help the shrub....


What is up with Bolton, why no recess appointment?

[Vinca]

10. Icing on the cake, isn't it?

July isn't going to be a good month for Alfred E.

[cyberpj]

11. You mean this guy?

[cyberpj]

19. -

a litte late night kick.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

12. ah yes, let me uhhh. . ."Get Them Ready"

we are "still getting them ready", sir!
<barely audible humming - Doot-deee-doo>

won't be long now. . . promise!

oops! the shipment of nice cedar frames that we ordered from Brazil haven't arrived yet. . . they just. aren't. ready. yet.

soon though, let's set another date!

[cyberpj]

13. Funny. But the point is that the photos were ready on time - but

they want to withhold them and release them when the videos are done so there's a single impact.

The court said release photos by June 30th and videos in July.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

14. who cares when they were ready.?

the court-order wasn't to set a "ready-date", the order set a "release-date". and that is behind us now and still nothing. that's the point. it's obfuscation to say well we can't release the pics because the vids aren't ready. the court should say "release the pics bitch," and "then when the video is 'ready' release it."

are we arguing the same point here?

[cyberpj]

15. Yep. We're saying the same thing. "Release the pics bitch" sounds

better though. :hi:

[SlavesandBulldozers]

16. good!

:toast:

[gratuitous]

17. The court probably treated it as a routine request

And routinely granted the extension. Happens all the time in court cases, and three weeks is not an extraordinarily long time for an extension request. Although I do note that it changes the release date from a Thursday to a Friday, the corrupt Bush administration's favored day of the week for dumping bad news.

[cyberpj]

18. Agreed. But smart of US Atty to request FRIDAY as new release date.

Good point.

[FreedomAngel82]

20. Another kick

Hopefully they'll release the video's this time and not change again.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

21. I have been waiting for this...

since first hearing Seymour H. talk about what we weren't seeing.

These crimes need to be exposed.

[cyberpj]

22. Well, let's see if they come up with a terror alert or incident that will

try to bury or blunt this release on 7/22. Even if it is take out the trash day in the news... this is a big one.

[CWebster]

23. Unbelievable:

"There would have been short-term discomfort and pain but then it would have been over with"

Sort of like saying, let's just get past the Holocaust and move on.

[cyberpj]

24. Seems one of their favorite talking points on everything is "get over it".

I'm so tired of hearing that I could scream.