Legal Commentary

Guantanamo Lawyers Squabble: An Embarrassment for All

By Jeralyn

Omar Khadr's lawyers continued their bickering in court today. The military judge scolded them and praised Canadian detainee Omar Khadr for his good behavior. Khadr has been detained since he was captured in Afghanistan at age 15. He's now 22. (Background here.)

A visibly angry Parrish lashed out at Khadr's lawyers and encouraged the Toronto-born captive to meet with them again during today's session. He commended Khadr for being "well spoken" and warned the lawyers to act in a "professional and dignified" manner. Khadr said it wasn't possible. "They just had a fight this morning," he told Parrish.

Today's hearing was considered an embarrassment for Guantanamo's defence office and the Obama administration, which has asked to have the cases suspended until the fall and pledged to close this prison by January.

But, the Judge made Omar pick between the dueling military lawyers. He wants his own Canadian lawyers, but under the misguided, inadequate military tribunal rules, he can't have them, except in an advisory capacity.[More...]

"Omar is entirely justified in dismissing his American attorneys," said Edmonton-based lawyer Nathan Whitling. "Given the terrible accusations that they have all made against one another, he doesn't know who he can trust, and who can blame him?"

After the judge told him he must choose,

"(But) I don't want neither of them," Khadr said. He eventually settled on Kuebler, who will stay on the case until the July hearing, giving Khadr time to seek guidance from his Canadian lawyers.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 01, 2009 (boomark / email).