9/11 Families

Surprise! Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, Southern District of New York (whence have come Giuliani, Spitzer, Hauer, Freeh, Mukasey, ... )says he "favors" keeping 9/11 secrets ... And gosh, it's worked so well for the defendants (aviation companies) thus far: "the confidentiality agreement speeded a pretrial process that enabled more than 90 families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to settle their cases." (emphasis added) Hellerstein is previously quoted as saying his "job" is to get these cases settled. Really? A judge's job is to settle cases? Even if discovery and a trial is needed to determine accountability? How does 'getting plaintiffs to settle' lead to justice? These families who settled their cases (after years of fighting for disclosure) means there's now no need for discovery, and certainly allays anyone's fears that "secrets" might be made public. Guess Hellerstein is doing a good job, given his definition of his duties...

Wait, wait, wait ... settle. Bravo to these three families who, alone, are holding out for trial. Now, where's the news about the 8,000 first responders and sick residents waiting, waiting, waiting on action to happen on their class action suit?!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org December 10, 2008 NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a statement from 31 9/11 victims' family members challenging the legitimacy of the Guantánamo military commissions and...

December 10, 2008 By AMY WESTFELDT, Associated Press Writer NEW YORK -- Two dozen family members of Sept. 11 victims signed a letter Wednesday saying they don't believe in the fairness of the military trials of...