How Appealing



Thursday, July 24, 2008

“Justice Advised CIA in ’02 About Legal Waterboarding”: The Washington Post on Friday will contain an article that begins, “Lawyers for the Bush administration told the CIA in 2002 that its officers could legally use waterboarding and other harsh measures while interrogating al-Qaeda suspects, as long as they acted ‘in good faith’ and did not deliberately seek to inflict severe pain, according to a Justice Department memo made public yesterday.”

The Associated Press reports that “2002 Justice memo OKs CIA interrogation tactics.”

And CNN.com reports that “Previously secret torture memo released.”

CNN.com has posted the heavily redacted memo, signed by then-Assistant Attorney General Jay S. Bybee, who now serves as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, at this link.

Posted at 11:03 PM by Howard Bashman



“Court: Colorado financial aid ban unconstitutional.” The Denver Post today contains an article that begins, “Colorado violated the U.S. Constitution when it blocked taxpayer-funded financial aid to students at religious schools that the state calls ‘pervasively sectarian,’ a federal appellate court in Denver ruled Wednesday.”

And The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Another courtroom victory for religious colleges.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Tenth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

Posted at 10:54 PM by Howard Bashman



“Council’s sectarian prayer ban upheld; Fredericksburg member may appeal to high court in bid to use Christ’s name in blessing”: This article appears today in The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

And The Free Lance-Star of Fredericksburg, Virginia reports today that “City prayer policy upheld; Circuit court rules for city.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Fourth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

Posted at 10:48 PM by Howard Bashman



“Court backs Pledge of Allegiance refusal”: The Palm Beach Post today contains an article that begins, “A federal appeals court has upheld the right of former Palm Beach County student Cameron Frazier to refuse to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in school, but it did not settle the broader question of whether all students have the right to refuse to participate in the pledge.”

The Miami Herald has a news update headlined “Court: Student can refuse to stand for pledge.”

And law.com reports that “11th Circuit Rejects Most of Fla. Pledge Challenge.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Eleventh Circuit ruling appears at this link.

Posted at 10:42 PM by Howard Bashman



Programming note: Today I will be traveling back and forth to SCI Rockview, located near State College, Pennsylvania, to meet with an incarcerated appellate client. Additional posts will appear here later today.

Posted at 7:30 AM by Howard Bashman