More on habeas corpus

Last year the blog ran a series on fiction that might help American citizens understand and appreciate what's at stake in the debate over habeas corpus, and we developed a healthy list of recommendations.

Today, a Los Angeles Times editorial reminds us that:

[I]n many respects, Guantanamo is still a legal black hole.

Blame for that state of affairs lies not just with the administration but with Congress. It was Congress that voted last year to deny detainees the right to challenge their confinement in court by applying for the ancient writ of habeas corpus. And it is Congress — even under Democratic control — that has failed to pass bipartisan legislation to restore habeas protection.

Readers interested in delving deeper into this important Constitutional issue would be wise to consult Cary Federman's The Body and The State.

--Marshal Zeringue