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Breaking News: Bin Laden Set Free In New York CourtroomThe Latest from SIW
Mace to launch dealer program, acquire central station Basics of establishing an employee ID badging system The security week that was: 1/02/09 The top 40 security stories of 2008 Homemade bombs force evacuations in Aspen, Colo. Toronto wraps up municipal surveillance pilot project
By Steve Lasky
Security Technology & Design
District Attorney Jack McCoy steps back behind his desk, having just finished delivering the final summation to a spellbound jury. Racks of television lights glare from two corners of the New York courtroom as the grizzled prosecutor glances at the infamous defendant who wears a smug half-smile. Both the defendant and his attorney sit upright in their wooden chairs, confident that justice will be done.
It only takes the jury five hours to deliberate. McCoy realizes this is not a good sign. The highly diverse jury has reached a conclusion McCoy knew was in the offing. What choice did they have considering the disjointed evidence he was able to present? Taken on face value, he would have difficulty rendering a guilty verdict if he were in their shoes.
As the foreman prepares to read the verdict, the defendant is asked to rise and face the jury box. His eyes are coal-black and filled with rage as he looks at the infidels. If given half a chance, he would slit their throats one by one, cameras rolling — all in high-def of course.
“Mister foreman, how do you find the defendant on the counts before the court?” asks the somber judge, knowing that history will record that it was his courtroom that set free a monster. “Your honor, we find the defendant, Osama Bin Laden, not guilty on all counts,” says the foreman in a sheepish voice cracking with emotion.
“Mr. Bin Laden, this court has found you not guilty. You are free to go.”
“Thank you judge. Thank you American justice. I will be seeing you all again soon,” says Bin Laden, turning to embrace his ACLU lawyer. “Life is good for enemy combatants!”
Think this is a fictional script getting ready to play out during next season’s Law & Order? Don’t count on it.
On June 12, a controversial 5-4 decision from the United States Supreme Court ruled that alien enemy prisoners captured by the U.S. military in a war authorized by Congress, have now been granted Constitutional rights to petition our courts for their release.
