Lawyer fights for the American way

[struggle4progress]

Chicagoan seeks rights for suspects at Guantanamo
January 29, 2007
BY TOM McNAMEE Sun-Times Columnist

... "To me, there is nothing more basic than the notion that the president or the king should not be able to lock up anyone on his own say-so, without having a court look at it," Isaac said. "It goes back to the Magna Carta. It's that fundamental. All our other freedoms flow from that right to not be thrown in jail." ...

n the fall of 2003, <Gary Isaac> co-wrote a "friend of the court" brief, on behalf of three retired military officers, urging the Supreme Court to rule that prisoners at Guantanamo are entitled to access to civilian courts to challenge their detention ...

The gratifying truth, Isaac said, is that almost nobody has given him grief for his Guantanamo work, which he does pro bono with the support of his law firm. On the contrary, he said, people have cheered him on.

"And, you know, I'm not surprised," he said. "I think what the government has done here cuts against the grain for most Americans. I really do. I don't think this is a red state-blue state issue. When presented with the facts, most people think it's wrong for the government to lock people up without charging them and without giving them a hearing." ...


http://www.suntimes.com/news/mcnamee/233548,CST-NWS-mcnamee29.article