Posted on 07/15/2005 7:31:17 PM PDT by WaveMan
PORTLAND -- The Patriot Act is about to come under fire in Portland.
Brandon Mayfield, the local Muslim mistakenly linked to the Madrid bombings, is fighting back. Friday he and his high profile attorneys go to court and the case is getting international attention.
The federal court docket lists this case as Brandon Mayfield vs. John Ashcroft et al. Along with the former attorney general, he's also suing the FBI and the Department of Justice.
Who knows if his case will ever go before a jury, but Friday a judge will hear arguments that could change the way the country wages its War on Terror.
"I want to thank the Multnomah County Detention Center for this lovely Holy Koran," Mayfield said in 2004 upon his release from jail.
Mayfield likely won't be as thankful when he returns to the federal courthouse Friday morning.
Last May he was jailed for two weeks after FBI agents claimed his fingerprints linked him to the Madrid train bombings. They did not and he was released and the FBI apologized.
But that did not stop Mayfield from suing, claiming he was unfairly investigated because of what his attorneys dubbed the "Muslim factor."
They say his faith motivated federal agents to use the Patriot Act to violate Mayfield's civil rights and illegally arrest him.
Mayfield's attorneys point to an e-mail from FBI spokesperson Beth Anne Steele notifying a colleague that a Portland Muslim's fingerprint showed up in Spain.
According to the e-mail, dated the day before Mayfield was arrested, Steele wrote: "The problem is there is not enough other evidence to arrest him on a criminal charge."
In pre-trial motions Friday, Mayfield's attorneys will argue for a federal judge to give them the evidence gathered in the Mayfield investigation. They're questioning the constitutionality of the Patriot Act and the way the government investigates Muslims.
"If Mr. Mayfield loses, the message I think for Muslim citizens of the United States is dire," Lewis and Clark law professor Art La-France said
La-France says this could be a landmark case for all terrorism investigations.
"The repercussions potentially are significant. From the government's point of view it's personnel and policy could be seriously impacted in ways that are very hard to predict," La France said.
We tried to contact the FBI about the case, but because of the pending legal action, their office is not commenting.
We also are not getting any pre-trial comments from Mayfield's attorneys, most notably Gerry Spence.
The well-known trial attorney is scheduled to be at the federal courthouse Friday.
Why can't I sue him?
Why can't I sue every low life POS in GITMO?
WHY CAN"T I SUE OSAMA?
Sen Durbin, MSM, Dean etc etc please explain why scum of the Earth seem to have more Rights than I, and why.
Dear Lefties, we are at War. I have advice, choose carefully which side you wish to be on.
TT
The FBI last year warned of terrorist attacks against refineries .... then several refineries blew up. If there still are terrorist cells in the US then why hasn't the FBI stopped them dead in their tracks? The President did publicly direct the FBI to do so .... I guess the President's orders don't mean much to the F .... B ..... I....... just ask Deep Throat.
sadly, a portland oregon jury is likely to rule in favor of this guy.
Mr. Mayfield? Oh, sure, when he goes into court, his name is Mayfield.
What you said! Me too!
What conspiracy theorists ... Jayna Davis is a regular here on the FR. I think she is "truthaboveall". Read her book "The Third Terrorist"(OKC). Maybe you think the FBI did a great job at Waco .... how about Ruby Ridge (I don't think Ron was fired) .... the Crime Labs maybe.... guess what .... they still are having problems with fingerprints. The second in command of the FBI was a felon .... he committed felonies ... and wrongfully brought down a US President. The FBI is way too powerful and needs to be disbanded.
What the hell are you talking about. You're swerving all over the road.
I'll repeat what I said:
The FBI made the correct match on a digitally corrupted print. The FBI apologized. Mayfield will probably get a big fat settlement. Meanwhile, you want to disband the FBI and end the domestic WOT.
You're hysterical.
When do you end the domestic WOT?
When terrorists nolonger exist.
"Deport him."
I believe that Brandon Mayfield was born and raised in the USA. Where do you suggest he be deported? Should we deport all the Jews also? How about deporting the vast numbers of "christians" that commit crimes every day in the US.
Better yet, why don't we have your arse thrown in jail for a couple of weeks for no reason.
I served 10+ years in the infantry as both an enlisted soldier and as an officer. I served when most did not. I also remember the oath I took. Bitch .... Moan ... Complain .... how about trying to look after the few remaining freedoms left and trying to get people like you to wake up
BTW, Reagan did nothing after Beirut. But I do think Reagan would have done far more then Bush now and I think he would have also protected our freedoms.
With your answer, the terrorists have won.
Me:When terrorists no-longer exist.
You:With your answer, the terrorists have won.
Let the record show that Yasotay thinks that the remaining terrorists will have lost if we end the WOT today.
Let the record show that Yasotay thinks that the remaining terrorists will have won if we continue engage them in the WOT.
That's your judgment, Yasotay.
Boy are you wrong. You "assume" way too much. The openly stated position of the United States for years was that if the US changed our way of life after a terrorist attack, then the terrorists have won. I believe the terrorists have suceeded. After 9-11, we had to give the terrorists exactly the same choice they gave us, "Convert or Die". Bush chose Convert (light). Americans do not need to be the lemmings and lambs that you want us to be .... I prefer lions. By Giving up Freedom for Security ... you get Neither. I prefer my freedom.
I would feel much freer if we deported every muslim to mecca and then dropped bombs on it.
Are we free if we elect Marxists into office so they can take our freedoms away from us?
Screw the Muslims and damn their so-called religion of peace.
Blessings, Bobo
What are you talking about?
You want to give terrorists the choice of "convert of die" as you state above. Meanwhile, the president offers no option that the terrorists could convert as he continues a policy of finding them and killing them.
Yasotay Light -- President Not!
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