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LAT's terror-trial profile needs a folo

By Mark Obbie

Josh Meyer profiles the Navy Reserve JAG officer defending Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, whom Meyer describes as "the world's most notorious captured terrorist." The profile of Prescott Prince benefits from good timing (it's early in the military commission trial of the infamous KSM), prominence (front-page in Sunday's LA Times), and access (Prince spoke at length to Meyer, despite unhelpful military restrictions). While the story sheds useful though preliminary light on the defense team's challenges and strategies, it's too sketchy on what I consider a core question: Is Prince up to the task? Along with light personality fare (we learn that Prince "enjoys yardwork and long-distance runs" and has "a slight gap between his two front teeth"), the most insight we get into whether Prince is a defense heavyweight is that he is "a Southern lawyer who only a year ago was running a small civilian defense practice" and that the "veteran defense attorney [has] a reputation for tenacity." Did he defend traffic tickets or something more complex? How much backbench support does he have in the tussle over commission procedures? How familiar is he with the 9/11 conspiracy that KSM is charged with masterminding? Let's hope Meyer or others continue digging. (Via How Appealing)

Full post as published by Lawbeat on May 27, 2008 (boomark / email).