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Supreme Court Sides With Obama on Torture Photos

New law prevents pictures' release

By the Associated Press

Posted Nov 30, 2009 12:51 PM CST
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(AP) – The Supreme Court threw out an appeals court ruling ordering the disclosure of photographs of detainees being abused by their US captors today, citing a recent change in federal law that allows the pictures to be withheld. The justices issued a brief, and expected, order directing the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in New York to take another look at the ACLU lawsuit to obtain the photos.

President Barack Obama at first did not oppose the release, but he changed his mind, saying the photos could whip up anti-American sentiment overseas and endanger US troops. The administration appealed the matter to the Supreme Court, but also worked with Congress to write the new law. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who served on the 2nd Circuit until August, did not take part in the court's consideration of the case.

This 2003 file photo obtained by The Associated Press shows a detainee bent over with his hands on the bars of a prison cell at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, Iraq.
This 2003 file photo obtained by The Associated Press shows a detainee bent over with his hands on the bars of a prison cell at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, Iraq.   (AP Photo/file)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 25 comments
CaptainZ64
Dec 1, 2009 12:06 PM CST
How's that change working for you liberals? The more things change the more they stay the same.
CenterIndependent
Dec 1, 2009 9:19 AM CST
I'm not happy about it. I think the people should have the right to see what crimes in human rights the republican admin has committed, and perhaps we can put Bush and Cheney behind bars.
Face-Of-RNC
Dec 1, 2009 9:04 AM CST
t least we're trying to make a change. The best you can do is carp from the sidelines.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

 
torture • ACLU • American Civil Liberties Union • US Supreme Court • Sonia Sotomayor • torture photos

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