Federal Judge Rules Justice Department Withheld Evidence That Key Witness in Detainee Cases Was Mentally Disturbed

sullivanThe Justice Department is once again being threatened with contempt of court after United States District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan found that they withheld evidence from the defense that a witness in a “significant” number of cases was mentally disturbed. Judge Sullivan found that the testimony of the detainee was unreliable, could be challenged in other cases, and could be the basis for a possible contempt order against the government.

In the wake of the Stevens case, this ruling in the case of Aymen Saeed Batarfi, a Yemeni doctor, received little attention. However, like Stevens, the Justice Department has announced that it would no longer seek to detain the doctor. As in Stevens, the move appears to protect the Justice Department from further judicial inquiry over the misconduct of government officials and, also like the Stevens case, there is no indication that the responsible officials will be disciplined or fired.

In the hearing, Sullivan stated “To hide relevant and exculpatory evidence from counsel and from the court under any circumstances, particularly here where there is no other means to discover this information and where the stakes are so very high . . . is fundamentally unjust, outrageous and will not be tolerated . . . How can this court have any confidence whatsoever in the United States government to comply with its obligations and to be truthful to the court?”

Judge Sullivan refused to allow the government to continue to play games with the system and called its actions “still another ploy . . . to continue with his deprivation of his fair day in court.” He ordered review of the case every 14 days and threatened to impose a contempt sanction if the Justice Department continued to violate federal rules.

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140 thoughts on “Federal Judge Rules Justice Department Withheld Evidence That Key Witness in Detainee Cases Was Mentally Disturbed”

  1. Make it fast though Mespo, my gorgeous tanned wife just got waxed today and wants to play kissie-face

  2. Centurion:

    “I must commend you for your colorful writing style. Have you read the cantos of Ezra Pound?”

    ***********************

    Never made the pointless attempt, but after wading through some of your comments I feel qualified to expound.

  3. I take it Mespo that you didn’t graduate with a PH.D. from the University of California System. Take your pick, any are superior to whichever ambulance chaser J.D. school you or your cronies graduated from. That is if you “did” graduate. I must commend you for your colorful writing style. Have you read the cantos of Ezra Pound?

  4. Centurion:

    You call yourself “Centurion.” Ha, what an insult to the memory and legend of the most noble rank of the Roman legion. Your unwarranted, ill-tempered attacks on those here qualify you for nothing more than the rank of “Gregralis,” the ignoble peasants who tended the asses and goats. I think even those beasts would recognize you as the blight you are.

  5. You Bron98 are a functioning illiterate, as evidenced by your atrocious spelling and syntax. Hopefully you are better with numbers. Go Bruins!

  6. Bron,

    Chuck can be too fatty, but I’ve had it that way and it still tastes fine. The texture can be a little off though. If you trim it where there are no big chunks of gristle or fat, that should be fine. It’s a texture issue for me. I’ve never tried pork but it should work. A lot of people just omit the veal and use all top round, but since pork cooks similar to veal I don’t see that substitution as a problem. A lot of Creole dishes call for veal, something rarely found in the more rustic Cajun style. City grub vs. country grub.

  7. Excuse me- I’m having a problem with a stuck space bar and repeated pressing (or trying to use my arrow keys)is posting my comment- I’ll finish the recipe in UltraEdit and post below- I’m really sorry about the multiple postings.

    Colcannon

    1 lb potato’s
    1 lb Cabbage (white)
    3 large Leeks
    6 strips Bacon
    3/4 c. Milk
    2 T butter for drizzling
    salt and pepper

    Put a pound of cut up potato’s in a pan of salted water and boil until tender. Drain and dry in the pan over a low flame then set aside.

    While potato’s are cooking crisp up 6 strips of bacon in a LARGE skillet, drain, set aside and crumble.

    Cut white cabbage into large pieces 1″ x 1″ to match the weight of the potatoes (I weigh everything at the store- a medium cabbage is about 3 lbs)

    Cut the green tops out of 3 large leeks (and throw away) and after washing the white parts split the leeks lengthwise and cut them into 1″ pieces.

    Pour off half of the bacon grease left in the skillet.

    Add the cut up cabbage and leeks, mix well and cover. Stir periodically until translucent and tender but not limp. 5-6 minutes should do it.

    While the cabbage and leek cook heat 3/4 cups milk in the microwave.

    Mash potato’s with the the milk (smooth or lumpy as you like) and add the cooked leeks and cabbage, add salt and pepper to taste.

    Put it in a big bowl, drizzle with a little butter and sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top. Eat hot.

    Any kind of potato will do but add the milk in batches because some potato’s require more milk than other types. I mix red and Russet potato’s.

  8. Yes BIL, I have enough artery clogging plaque from butter and bacon to be tapped by the new Administration as an alternative energy source waiting to be mined 😉

    Bron, “are ya all related to Paula Dean? The first time I saw her show she was making bread pudding with glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts.”

    OMG, me too!!! That was amazing and even I realized that there was something seriously wrong with that. I am also a great fan of cornbread, supper on more than one occasion has been a pan of cornbread and room temp. butter and a glass of milk.

    My oven, and heart, is broken. I open my cupboard and am taunted by a bag of yellow cornmeal, a bag of white cornmeal and a couple of different brands of cornbread mix- JUST ADD WATER! (or milk) the bags say for when waiting long enough to measure more than one ingredient is just TOO long to wait for cornbread. I am despondent.

    BIL is right about a lot of regional cooking (and “traditional” cooking) is born of poverty and if you pick a region or country and examine their traditional recipes it’s pretty obvious by the limited pallet of ingredients that people were making the best of making do with what they had. I recently discovered Colcannon, a traditional Irish dish made with potato, onion (or leek) and cabbage. Reads awful, but tastes great. I jazz it up with bacon.

    Put a pound of cut up potatos in a pan of salted water and boil until tender. Drain and dry in the pan over a low flame then set aside.

    Crisp up 6 strips of bacon in a LARGE skillet, drain, set aside and crunble.

    Cut white cabbage into large pieces 1″ x 1″ to match the weight of the potatoes (I weigh everything at the store- a medium cabbage is about 3 lbs) Cut the green tops out of 3 large leeks (and throw away) and after washing the white parts split the leeks lengthwise and cut them into 1″ pieces.

    Pour off half of the bacon grease left in the skillet.

    Add the cut up cabbage and leeks, mix well and cover. Stir periodicly until translucent and tender but not limp. 5-6 minutes should do it.

    While the cabbage and leek cook heat 3/4 cups milk in the microwave.

  9. Yes BIL, I have enough artery clogging plaque from butter and bacon to be tapped by the new Administration as an alternative energy source waiting to be mined 😉

    Bron, “are ya all related to Paula Dean? The first time I saw her show she was making bread pudding with glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts.”

    OMG, me too!!! That was amazing and even I realized that there was something seriously wrong with that. I am also a great fan of cornbread, supper on more than one occasion has been a pan of cornbread and room temp. butter and a glass of milk.

    My oven, and heart, is broken. I open my cupboard and am taunted by a bag of yellow cornmeal, a bag of white cornmeal and a couple of different brands of cornbread mix- JUST ADD WATER! (or milk) the bags say for when waiting long enough to measure more than one ingredient is just TOO long to wait for cornbread. I am despondent.

    BIL is right about a lot of regional cooking (and “traditional” cooking) is born of poverty and if you pick a region or country and examine their traditional recipes it’s pretty obvious by the limited pallet of ingredients that people were making the best of making do with what they had. I recently discovered Colcannon, a traditional Irish dish made with potato, onion (or leek) and cabbage. Reads awful, but tastes great. I jazz it up with bacon.

    Put a pound of cut up potatos in a pan of salted water and boil until tender. Drain and dry in the pan over a low flame then set aside.

    Crisp up 6 strips of bacon in a LARGE skillet, drain, set aside and crunble.

    Cut white cabbage into large pieces 1″ x 1″ to match the weight of the potatoes (I weigh everything at the store- a medium cabbage is about 3 lbs) Cut the green tops out of 3 large leeks (and throw away) and after washing the white parts split the leeks lengthwise and cut them into 1″ pieces.

    Pour off half of the bacon grease left in the skillet.

  10. I have it saved under the folder BUDDHACHOW, kind of has an oriental ring.

    So hopefully you will share a few more. here is one I like:

    Chicken Mirabella:

    Ingredients
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    6 prunes, pitted and drained (I tried white raisans and they worked pretty well to. If you use the prunes chop them up into 4-6 pcs. per prune)
    6 green olives, pitted
    1 tablespoon capers, with liquid (I like some more capers)
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    1/8 cup white wine
    1 bay leaf
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    salt and pepper
    3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I like chicken thighs bone in or out)
    1/8 cup brown sugar
    Directions
    1 In a resealable bag, combine garlic, prunes, olives, capers, olive oil, vinegar, wine, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper.
    2 Mix well, and add chicken breasts.
    3 Seal and refrigerate overnight.
    4 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    5 Pour contents of bag into baking dish and top with the brown sugar.
    6 Bake, spooning the broth over the chicken several times for 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

    It isnt southern but its pretty good.

  11. Buddha:

    that sounds like some darn fine chow.

    Can I use pork instead of the veal? Also the top round can that be substituted with say a chuck roast or is the chuck to fatty?

    Thanks, I am going to give this one a try it sounds very tasty.

  12. As a prep tip, I suggest covering the chilling the seasoned meat about 10 minutes and covering it with heavy plastic before pounding it out, working quickly as possible.

  13. Bron,

    Grits in any form are as Southern as it gets. May I suggest the following recipe as a New Orleans favorite. This is Emeril’s recipe, but it’s close to my favorite version of this dish (which was made by a mom & pop bar/restaurant that didn’t survive Katrina).

    Grillades and Grits

    Ingredients

    * 1 1/2 pounds beef top round, cut into 2-inch pieces, about 1/4-inch thick
    * 1 pound veal top round, cut into 2-inch pieces, about 1/4-inch thick
    * 1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
    * 2 teaspoons salt
    * 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
    * 1/2 cup vegetable oil
    * 2 cups chopped onions
    * 1 cup chopped bell peppers
    * 1 cup chopped celery
    * 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
    * 2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
    * 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
    * 5 bay leaves
    * 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
    * 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    * 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
    * 2 cups beef stock
    * 1/2 cup dry red wine
    * 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
    * Baked Cheese Grits, recipe follows
    * 3 tablespoons chopped green onion tops

    Directions

    Combine the beef and veal in a large mixing bowl. Season the meat with the Essence, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, tossing to coat well. Add the flour and toss to coat the meat completely. Turn the meat out onto a well-floured surface and lightly pound the meat with a meat mallet. Turn the meat over and lightly pound the other sides of the meat.

    Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large cast iron pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meat, in batches, if necessary and brown evenly on both sides, for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the meat on paper towel-lined plates. (Add the remaining half of the oil to the pan, as needed between batches, waiting for the oil to heat before adding the meat.)

    Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery to the oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the cayenne. Continue stirring, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, oregano, basil, stock, and wine. Return the browned meat to the pot and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

    Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover partially, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 1 3/4 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is very tender. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the chopped parsley.

    Place a portion of the Baked Cheese Grits into a shallow serving bowl and spoon the grillades and some of the gravy over the grits. Garnish with some chopped green onions and serve immediately.

    Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

    2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

    2 tablespoons salt

    2 tablespoons garlic powder

    1 tablespoon black pepper

    1 tablespoon onion powder

    1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

    1 tablespoon dried oregano

    1 tablespoon dried thyme

    Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

    Yield: 2/3 cup

    Recipe from “New New Orleans Cooking”, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

    Baked Cheese Grits:

    2 tablespoons butter

    6 cups whole milk

    1 1/2 teaspoons salt

    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    2 cups quick-cooking white grits

    2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

    Lightly grease a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

    Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the milk, salt, cayenne and remaining tablespoon of butter. Bring to a boil, stir in the grits, and reduce the heat to medium. Stir for 30 seconds, then add 1 cup of the cheese and stir until the cheese melts. Cook, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grits are tender and creamy. Pour the grits into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the grits. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden. Serve hot.

    Yield: 6 servings

  14. Buddha:

    I love southern cooking, bacon and green beans or greens (like Ginger and Fred), corn bread, cheese grits (I dont know if that is southern but they are good), hush puppies, BBQ, and to top it off good ole Tabasco Sauce although that is from days in La.

    I can tell you that I would take cornbread and some bacon grease over what my grandmother used to make, creamed freaking eggs on toast.

  15. Bron,

    No, but she’s a typical Southern cook. None of the ladies I learned to cook from down home were so bad as to use donuts for bread pudding. Great googly moogley! I feel like going into diabetic shock just thinking about that. I bet it’s good, but it’s also an example of what my grandfather used mean when he said, “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” Personally, I prefer a good French bread or Brioche for bread pudding. Southern cooks all love their butter and pork fat. I bet was 14 before I realized you could serve green beans without bacon (that’s a joke . . . almost). A lot of the Southern cooking traditions, like many great cuisines, comes from poor folks making due the best they can with what they’ve got. Fats carry flavor to what may have been meager ingredients to start.

  16. Lottakatz and Buddha:

    are ya all related to Paula Dean? The first time I saw her show she was making bread pudding with glazed donuts from Dunkin Donuts.

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