Overview of Changes to Legal Rights
By The Associated Press, September 5, 2002, 11:44 AM EDT Some
of the fundamental changes to Americans’ legal rights by the Bush
administration and the USA Patriot Act following the terror attacks:
- FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and
political institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist
terror investigation. - FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public
immigration hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without
charges, and has encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records
requests. - FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or
keepers of any other records if they tell anyone that the government
subpoenaed information related to a terror investigation. - RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal
prison jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny
lawyers to Americans accused of crimes. - FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and
seize Americans’ papers and effects without probable cause to assist
terror investigation. - RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial.
- RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being able to confront witnesses against them.
Source: Newsday
Now don’t you feel safer?