Legal Commentary

Judge Bybee Breaks Silence, Defends Torture Memos

By Jeralyn

Judge Jay Bybee broke his silence on the torture memos Tuesday, in responses to questions from the New York Times.

The reason for breaking his silence: He disagreed with an article in the Washington Post alleging he had regrets over the signing. Bybee says:

“The central question for lawyers was a narrow one; locate, under the statutory definition, the thin line between harsh treatment of a high-ranking Al Qaeda terrorist that is not torture and harsh treatment that is. I believed at the time, and continue to believe today, that the conclusions were legally correct.”

He should have just kept silent. As a Judge, he should know by now that the 5th Amendment protection against self-incrimination, even if just in the court of public opinion, is there for a reason: Use it or lose it.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on April 29, 2009 (boomark / email).