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Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 11:22:06 -0800
From: "Jordan" <editor_at_criminaldefense.com>
To: declan_at_well.com
Hello Declan,
On the off chance that your listees might be potential editorial
contributors to our
'03 debut issue dealing with "Civil Liberties and Criminal Defense," may I
paste
in our call for contributions? Let me know if there's something you might like
to contribute as well.
Best, Jordan
Dear Friends of the Constitution!
We very much share your concerns about the shredding of the Constitution
and the increasingly
unfortunate nature of the diminishment of civil liberties (and criminal
defense) under the guise of the war
against terrorism.
—How on earth have we reached a point at which two American citizens can be
held incommunicado without
right to an attorney? Or the right to know the evidence against them?
—How is that an American attorney (Lynne Stewart) is facing 40 years in
prison for "providing material support
to terrorists," by merely defending the interests of her client, who is in
prison, and with whom all her conversations
have been monitored by the Dept. of Justice? WHAT IS HAPPENING TO
ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE?
—Are the lower courts often defending the Constitution, while the higher
courts are more often siding with the Justice Dept
(as legal writer Jennifer Van Bergen found in an article published in
CriminalDefense Weekly and truthout.org)?
—What prevents the "terrorist" provisions of the PATRIOT and/or Homeland
Security Act(s) from rolling over (eventually)
to random criminal felons? Just as California's "three strikes" legislation
was voted in as strict punishment against three "serious
and violent felonies," but later prosecutors were making the third strike
merely a "serious" felony, opting at times
to make wobblers like shoplifting the third strike—just as we saw that kind
of abuse on the government side,
what would stop federal officials from taking advantage of these
anti-terrorist provisions and applying similar
methods and punishments to American felons?
Is there a feature article, a how-to, or an op-ed column you would like to
write for our "Civil Liberties and Criminal Defense" forum
due out January 15? Please consider this and let me know. Deadline for
receipt is Friday, Jan. 3.
Best, Jordan
Jordan Elgrably, Editor
CriminalDefense.com
Publishers of CriminalDefense Weekly (1st & 15th of the month)
and CriminalDefense Review (Quarterly digest of CriminalDefense Weekly)
"Crime, Punishment and the Constitution"
818/461-0937 ph.
818/461-0939 fx.
editor_at_criminaldefense.com
12400 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 378
Studio City, CA 91604
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Received on Dec 13 2002