Stardate 20020221.2303

(On Screen): Ramsey Clark's group brought suit in a federal court in Los Angeles asking for a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of the prisoners being held at Guantanamo bay. Today the judge in the case dismissed it (without trial) both because those bringing suit didn't have standing, and because no Federal court had jurisdiction. The plaintiffs say they'll appeal. Naturally.

Seems as if everyone always appeals; why do they bother having lower courts, anyway? I guess the answer is that the Circuit Court doesn't have to accept the appeal, and I bet they won't accept this one. Except...

Except that it's the Ninth Circuit Court, which is always a bit loonie. (Which may have been why Clark's group filed its suit where it did.) A few years ago, the Ninth Circuit ordered a stay of execution here in California. The Supreme Court then overrode the stay. The Ninth Circuit ordered another stay; the Supreme Court overrode that one, too. Then the Ninth Circuit ordered yet another stay, and the Supreme Court overrode that one and also ordered that there be no further stays. The execution then took place. This all happened over the course of about six hours; you'd think that the Ninth Circuit would have gotten the message after the first override.