Jose Padilla: Imprisoned Nearly Four Years Without a Lawyer, Convicted on Terrorism Charges

This just in from Think Progress:

Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen who had been arrested in 2002 as an enemy combatant, has been found guilty in a Miami court on all charges of supporting terrorism. The Washington Post wrote that the administration's detention of him had been "bruising to liberty."

The Bush administration had claimed that Padilla, who was held in a military brig for more than 3 years, could be detained indefinitely and without access to a lawyer.

Ultimately, the federal courts forced the administration to provide Padilla access to the courts. The verdict today affirms the merits of a judicial system that provides both due process and due punishment. Padilla's attorneys are expected to appeal.

This post, written by Lindsay Beyerstein, originally appeared on Majikthise

Democracy Now! has a fascinating interview with a psychiatrist who interviewed suspected terrorist Jose Padilla for over 22 hours in an attempt to determine whether he was fit to stand trial after more than 3 years of solitary confinement.