Confessions of Alberto Gonzales' dangerous mind.Dating back to the Magna Charta Magna Charta symbol of British liberty. [Br. Hist.: Bishop, 49–52, 213] See : Freedom Magna Charta beginning of British democratic system (1215). [Br. Hist.: Bishop, 49–52, 213] See : Turning Point , the Great Writ of Habeas Corpus Noun 1. writ of habeas corpus - a writ ordering a prisoner to be brought before a judge habeas corpus judicial writ, writ - (law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer has been recognized as one of the chief, if not the chief, safeguard in common law against the arbitrary imprisonment Imprisonment See also Isolation. Alcatraz Island former federal maximum security penitentiary, near San Francisco; “escapeproof.” [Am. Hist.: Flexner, 218] Altmark, the German prison ship in World War II. [Br. Hist. of citizens by a despot. The U.S. Constitution recognizes this right in Article 1, Section 9: "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." In what has to be considered one of the most chilling examples to date of the Bush administration's callous and dangerous disregard for fundamental rights, on January 18 Attorney General Alberto Gonzales For the New York Yankees infielder, see . Alberto Gonzales (born August 4 1955) is an American jurist who served as the 80th Attorney General of the United States. Gonzales was appointed to the post in February 2005 by President George W. Bush. insisted that U.S. citizens do not actually enjoy such protections. During testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee The U.S. Senate established the Committee on the Judiciary on December 10, 1816, as one of the original 11 standing committees. It is also one of the most powerful committees in Congress; among its wide range of jurisdictions is investigation of federal judicial nominees and oversight of , Gonzales insisted in an exchange with Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), "there is no express grant of habeas in the Constitution. There is a prohibition against taking it away. But it's never been the case, and I'm not a Supreme ..." Senator Specter, to his credit, abruptly interrupted the attorney general's weasel-worded attempt to justify subversion of the long-recognized right. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute," said the reportedly incredulous senator, according the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot. "The Constitution says you can't take it away, except in case of rebellion or invasion. Doesn't that mean you have the right of habeas corpus habeas corpus (hā`bēəs kôr`pəs) [Lat.,=you should have the body], writ directed by a judge to some person who is detaining another, commanding him to bring the body of the person in his custody at a specified time to a unless there's an invasion or rebellion?" To this, Gonzales replied: "I meant by that comment the Constitution doesn't say every individual in the United States, or every citizen, is hereby granted or assured the right to habeas. It doesn't say that. It simply says the right of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except by ..." At this point, Specter broke in again. "You may be treading on your interdiction INTERDICTION, civil law. A legal restraint upon a person incapable of managing his estate, because of mental incapacity, from signing any deed or doing any act to his own prejudice, without the consent of his curator or interdictor. 2. and violating common sense, Mr. Attorney General." Fortunately, neither the attorney general nor the president himself has the ability to legally suspend habeas corpus. That power is vested solely in Congress and not in the presidency--though during the Civil War President Lincoln unconstitutionally suspended habeas corpus. |
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