Material witness detentions under scrutiny (Abuse Of Law In Terror Cases)

[kpete]

Material witness detention under scrutiny

RAW STORY
Published: Tuesday March 21, 2006



Detention of material witnesses has become a hotly debated tactic in the wake of reports of government prosecutorial abuses, according to a story set for Wednesday's New York Times, RAW STORY has learned.

Excerpts from the article written by Eric Liptak:

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A 22-year-old federal law that allows people to be held without charges if they have information about others' crimes is coming under fresh scrutiny in the courts, in Congress and within the Justice Department after reports that it has been abused in terrorism investigations.

The law allows so-called material witnesses to be held long enough to secure their testimony if there is reason to think they will flee. But lawyers for people detained as material witnesses say the law has been used to hold people the government fears will commit terrorist acts but lacks probable cause to charge with a crime.

Concerns about how the law has been used have prompted calls from across the political spectrum for a reassessment. A bill introduced by Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., would curtail the use of the material witness law to hold people suspected of plotting terrorist acts.


http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Material_witness_detention_under_scrutiny_0321.html