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From TPM Muckraker: "The Supreme Court today agreed to hear an appeal from former Attorney General John Ashcroft, who claims he should be immune from a lawsuit brought by a Muslim U.S. citizen who was detained for two weeks without charge in 2003 as part of a terrorism investigation.
Ashcroft has claimed total immunity from the lawsuit. At question is whether he is entitled to such immunity, according to SCOTUSblog.
(See http://www.scotusblog.com/2010/10/ashcroft-case-granted/)
Ashcroft was sued in 2005 by the ACLU on behalf of Abdullah al-Kidd, an American citizen who was detained in March 2003 as a "material witness" in a terrorism investigation. According to the Washington Independent, al-Kidd was detained in high-security prisons for 16 days, strip-searched and shackled. When they released him, he was ordered to live with his in-laws, restrict his travel to four states and submit to home visits for a year. He was never charged or called to testify.
In Sept. 2009, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Ashcroft does not have immunity and can be sued. In the ruling, a judge called al-Kidd's detention "repugnant to the Constitution.""
Ashcroft has claimed total immunity from the lawsuit. At question is whether he is entitled to such immunity, according to SCOTUSblog.
(See http://www.scotusblog.com/2010/10/ashcroft-case-granted/)
Ashcroft was sued in 2005 by the ACLU on behalf of Abdullah al-Kidd, an American citizen who was detained in March 2003 as a "material witness" in a terrorism investigation. According to the Washington Independent, al-Kidd was detained in high-security prisons for 16 days, strip-searched and shackled. When they released him, he was ordered to live with his in-laws, restrict his travel to four states and submit to home visits for a year. He was never charged or called to testify.
In Sept. 2009, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Ashcroft does not have immunity and can be sued. In the ruling, a judge called al-Kidd's detention "repugnant to the Constitution.""