Chalabigate
"Weapons of Mass Deception"
2005-11-04
AIPAC judge keeps evidence classified
The federal judge in the AIPAC classified-information case ruled that prosecutors may withhold evidence from the defense.
In a hearing Wednesday in the case against Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, two former staffers of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Judge T.S. Ellis of the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., ruled in favor of government arguments that recordings and transcripts of tapped conversations involving the defendants include material that would be harmful to the national interest if revealed. Ellis said he would determine what material the defense can use and what material it can not access.
Rosen’s lawyer said that despite the ruling, Ellis showed sensitivity to the defense’s concerns. “We’re pleased that the court understands the complexities involved in providing our clients with the right to a fair trial in the midst of all these classified procedures,” Abbe Lowell said.
Because the process of determining what material the defense may see is likely to be long and involved, Ellis pushed back the trial date from Jan. 2 to April 25.
© JTA.
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In a hearing Wednesday in the case against Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, two former staffers of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Judge T.S. Ellis of the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., ruled in favor of government arguments that recordings and transcripts of tapped conversations involving the defendants include material that would be harmful to the national interest if revealed. Ellis said he would determine what material the defense can use and what material it can not access.
Rosen’s lawyer said that despite the ruling, Ellis showed sensitivity to the defense’s concerns. “We’re pleased that the court understands the complexities involved in providing our clients with the right to a fair trial in the midst of all these classified procedures,” Abbe Lowell said.
Because the process of determining what material the defense may see is likely to be long and involved, Ellis pushed back the trial date from Jan. 2 to April 25.
© JTA.
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Milton Frihetsson, 18:23
