Kafka Comes to America - Fighting for Justice in the War on Terror A Public Defender s Inside

Zusatztext “In an enthralling, enraging narrative, Wax captures the damage that Guantánamo has done to America’s reputation abroad, and shows how the legal fights on behalf of detainees might restore it.” — The New Yorker “This is an ingenious book...a compelling story of two men wrongly imprisoned, and a legal system that makes it no easy thing to help them.” — The Seattle Times “Federal public defender Wax masterfully delivers a harrowing story of the erosion of civil liberties after the September 11 terrorist attacks in a powerful testimony that reads like a thriller...Wax offers personal insight and professional outrage; his is a powerful voice that deserves to reach all Americans.” — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) “Those interested in an inside account of how attorneys represent unpopular clients will learn a great deal from the behind-the-scenes strategy sessions detailed here…offers important insights into what can happen when overzealous prosecutors believe that the ends justify any means.” — Kirkus Reviews “A grand and important must read for anyone questioning the protection of our civil liberties.” — The Midwest Book Review “Steven Wax’s office has done some of the best work of any lawyers when it comes to exposing the truth about prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. It is important for the international community to take notice of this eloquently told account.” —Clive Stafford Smith, Founder and Legal Director of Reprieve (UK) and author of Eight O’Clock Ferry to the Windward Side “Steven Wax vividly portrays how chillingly close we have come to forsaking our foundational beliefs of justice and liberty. Precisely because he is devoted to deeply-held American values, this book has the power to promote effective activism against a government that has lost its way. Wax writes with authority, both moral and legal.” —Kris Olson, U.S. Attorney for Oregon (1994-2001) and author of Standing Tall “Some day, the United States will leave its post-9/11 cave. But principles wither with prolonged disuse, and if we emerge with ours intact, it will be in some measure because of courageous lawyers like Steven Wax.” —Joseph Margulies, author of Guantanamo and the Abuse of Presidential Power “Wax’s true story is heart-wrenching and as scary as any fictional thriller. This is a must read for anyone who cares about maintaining the freedoms that make this country great.” —Phillip Margolin, author of Executive Privilege Informationen zum Autor Steven Wax Steven Wax is in his sixth term as the Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon. A cum laude graduate of Colgate University and Harvard Law School, he was a key part of the Brooklyn, N.Y. District Attorney's prosecution of David Berkowitz, a.k.a."The Son of Sam." Wax and his team are currently representing seven men held as "enemy combatants"; in Guantanamo. He has taught at the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College, serves as an ethics prosecutor for the Oregon State Bar, and lectures throughout the country. Klappentext American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award - Winner in the Book category Independent Publishers - Winner of the Gold Medal in the Autobiography/Memoir category ForeWord Book of the Year Awards - Winner of the Bronze Medal in the Social Science category The Eric Hoffer Award - Winner in the Memoir category A public defender' s dedicated struggle to rescue two innocent men from the recent Kafkaesque practices of our vandalized justice system "Our government can make you disappear." Those were the words Steven Wax never imagined he would hear himself say. In his twenty-nine years as a public defender! Wax had never had to warn a client that he or she might be taken away to a military brig! or worse! a "black site!" one of our country's dreaded sec...

List of contents

Contents

Prologue ...3
Chapter One: Footprints in the Carpet 6
Chapter Two: Portland Lawyer Arrested! ...13
Chapter Three: A Cry for Help from Guantanamo .29
Chapter Four: Innocence is Irrelevant ...48
Chapter Five: Seized and Disappeared ..58
Chapter Six: From September 11 to Guantanamo Bay ..76
Chapter Seven: The Matching of Latent Print # 17 ...........................96
Chapter Eight: A Lonely Battle .105
Chapter Nine: Feeding Refugees and Teaching Orphans ..126
Chapter Ten: The Unconscionable Detention of Adel Hamad .. 146
Chapter Eleven: the Seeds of Mercy .158
Chapter Twelve: A Life Exposed ..................171
Chapter Thirteen: The Ice Man .................180
Chapter Fourteen: Something to Hide ...193
Chapter Fifteen: The Cavalry is Coming ...206
Chapter Sixteen: The DTA and the Second Rebuke ..223
Chapter Seventeen: Homeland Security 242
Chapter Eighteen: Proffer and Immunity ..251
Chapter Nineteen: Catch 22 .. .265
Chapter Twenty: The Road to Kabul.....................................................278
Chapter Twenty One: Defenders in the War Zones .. 294
Chapter Twenty Two: Spanish Truths/American Lies ..306
Chapter Twenty Three: Mayfield: The Aftermath 323
Chapter Twenty Four: The MCA and the Third Stall ...345
Chapter Twenty Five: The Dark Winter ...359
Chapter Twenty Six: Tea with the Ministers in Sudan ........374
Chapter Twenty Seven: The Final Round for Adel ..392
Chapter Twenty Eight: The Fight for Freedom is Never Won .410
Postscript .. 417
Ackn

Report

In an enthralling, enraging narrative, Wax captures the damage that Guantánamo has done to America s reputation abroad, and shows how the legal fights on behalf of detainees might restore it. The New Yorker

This is an ingenious book...a compelling story of two men wrongly imprisoned, and a legal system that makes it no easy thing to help them. The Seattle Times

Federal public defender Wax masterfully delivers a harrowing story of the erosion of civil liberties after the September 11 terrorist attacks in a powerful testimony that reads like a thriller...Wax offers personal insight and professional outrage; his is a powerful voice that deserves to reach all Americans. Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Those interested in an inside account of how attorneys represent unpopular clients will learn a great deal from the behind-the-scenes strategy sessions detailed here offers important insights into what can happen when overzealous prosecutors believe that the ends justify any means. Kirkus Reviews

A grand and important must read for anyone questioning the protection of our civil liberties. The Midwest Book Review

Steven Wax s office has done some of the best work of any lawyers when it comes to exposing the truth about prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. It is important for the international community to take notice of this eloquently told account. Clive Stafford Smith, Founder and Legal Director of Reprieve (UK) and author of Eight O Clock Ferry to the Windward Side

Steven Wax vividly portrays how chillingly close we have come to forsaking our foundational beliefs of justice and liberty. Precisely because he is devoted to deeply-held American values, this book has the power to promote effective activism against a government that has lost its way. Wax writes with authority, both moral and legal. Kris Olson, U.S. Attorney for Oregon (1994-2001) and author of Standing Tall

Some day, the United States will leave its post-9/11 cave. But principles wither with prolonged disuse, and if we emerge with ours intact, it will be in some measure because of courageous lawyers like Steven Wax. Joseph Margulies, author of Guantanamo and the Abuse of Presidential Power

Wax s true story is heart-wrenching and as scary as any fictional thriller. This is a must read for anyone who cares about maintaining the freedoms that make this country great. Phillip Margolin, author of Executive Privilege

Product details

• Authors: Steven T Wax, Steven T. Wax
• Publisher: Other press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 03.06.2008
• EAN: 9781590512951
• ISBN: 978-1-59051-295-1
• No. of pages: 380
• Dimensions: 164 mm x 234 mm x 29 mm
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Law > International law, foreign law