Gov't Asks to Keep Lindh Records Secret

NEW YORK (AP) - A government lawyer told a judge on Monday that American-born Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh deserves privacy for his written arguments aimed at shortening his 20-year federal prison sentence.

At a Manhattan hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Eric Morrison urged the judge to reject arguments by The Associated Press that Lindh's reasoning for a shorter sentence should be made public because there is high public interest in his case and how the government has handled it.

Morrison told U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska that the AP cannot "meet its burden of showing compelling evidence, much less any evidence, of government misconduct" in the case. He said the AP is therefore not entitled to invade "substantial privacy interests" and see records that are presumed to be confidential.

AP attorney David A. Schulz disagreed, telling the judge it was the government's burden to prove it has a compelling reason for keeping sealed court papers that might reveal what happened to Lindh.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2006/nov/06/110602880.html

This poor Lindh kid was railroaded as a Judas goat after 9/11. It seemed to me that the only thing he was guilty of was being naive and impressionable and in the wrong place at the wrong time. I bet that there is a heck of a lot about the U.S. Government's behavior in this case that -- if known -- would make me ashamed of my government. Again.

that is the only person looking out for any privacy Lindh wants. :shrug:

So, I smell a rat.

I suspect the records would show prosecutorial misconduct, illegal interrogation methods, improper imprisonment conditions and denial of habeus corpus.

The Bush administration, which couldn't give two shits about your privacy rights (what are you, a terrorist -- we have to know!) is all concerned about privacy rights of an appellate brief.

I believe I am moved to tears.

Amazing. Oh no it isn't it is just more of the empty spectacle.

bastards.

v