PATRIOT II announced today
Bush continues trickling in parts of PATRIOT II. Today we get:
- No bail for terrorism suspects
- "Administrative Subpoenas" for law enforcement authorities (i.e. no judge or grand jury necessary)
- Death penalty for terrorism-related crimes
Reaction from the ACLU, including an analysis of this new death penalty provision:
The draft bill dramatically expands the death penalty, creating fifteen separate new death penalty crimes by defining a new death sentence that sweeps in the remaining crimes listed as federal crimes of terrorism... Among others, these include the provision of material support for the lawful activities of an organization labeled a terrorist organization by the government... While the DOJ labels this provision as providing for the death penalty for terrorist "murders," there is no language in the text that requires any showing by the government of an intent by the defendant to kill; it is sufficient that death results from the defendant's actions. [my emphasis -ray]
Even more troubling, the draft bill is not content to create fifteen new death penalties, but also contains language that sweeps in any violation of state or federal law that is committed under the definition of domestic or international terrorism... As a result, activities that (1) involve "acts dangerous to human life," (2) are a violation of any state or federal law, and (3) are committed in order to influence government or the population by intimidation or coercion become death-penalty eligible if death results.
* Ray, 9/11/2003 03:01:36 PM
