That's why they are called 'trials,' and not show trials, or some other fake procedure designed to make the authoritarian approach look good. Yes, one or more of these guys could get off.
That said, one must reasonably assume that there is enough evidence to bring them to trial--untainted evidence. You can violate a prisoner's rights in all manners of ways, but if you have untainted evidence--evidence that does not derive from those abuses--then they can still be found guilty. Whether their civil rights are otherwise abused is a civil matter, so yes, Scott, they could sue, but they'll still get locked up or executed if they are convicted on the criminal charges. And incidentally, if they did sue, all the victims of 9-11 might have actions to intervene against them on the civil side, forwarding their own claims. I don't think anyone is going to be writing a fat check to Al Qaeda over this.
"Money could buy anything, with a nectarine in one hand."
John Williams |