Litigation

Will KSM Trial Be Moved from New York?

By Peter Hardin

UPDATE: Apparently the Obama administration has given up on plans for a New York City trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four co-defendants, the Washington Post reported Friday.

The Obama administration has begun considering a shift out of Manhattan for the planned trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, in the wake of the “apparent collapse” of last November’s decision to hold the trial in New York City, according to the New York Times.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke out this week against holding the trial in Manhattan (see Gavel Grab), reversing his earlier view. And some lawmakers in Washington indicate they will support legislation to deny the Obama administration the money needed to hold the trials in New York; “Congress is almost sure” to deny those funds, Fox News reported.

The White House has continued to support a trial in civilian court, not before a military commission. Some officials have put the cost of holding the trial in New York City at more than $200 million per year, with the trial possibly lasting several years.

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 29, 2010 (boomark / email).