JURIST - Paper Chase: AM legal news brief - Court-martial starts for Guantanamo translator

Leading the legal news this morning, Reuters reports: "The U.S. military is expected to start court-martial proceedings today against an Air Force translator accused of espionage at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where terrorism suspects and Afghan war prisoners are held." Reuters has more. Ahmad al-Halabi is charged with 17 counts, including attempted espionage and mishandling classified documents; additional counts of aiding the enemy and espionage, which could have resulted in the death penalty, were dropped in December. The remaining charges against Halabi are still the most serious of those facing any of the four individuals who have thusfar been linked to breaches of security at the Guantanamo detention camp. FindLaw offers a copy of the original Charge Sheet against Halabi. AP provides a profile.

In other legal news...

Military Lawyers Question Tribunal Rules
The Washington Post reports: "Five military lawyers assigned to defend detainees at Guantanamo Bay are planning to tell the U.S. Supreme Court that some of the rules drawn up for special military trials are unconstitutional."
GOP Urges Wider Ban on 'Soft Money'
The Washington Post reports: "The Republican National Committee plans to ask the Federal Election Commission today to ban the raising of $300 million or more in "soft money" by pro-Democratic groups seeking to pay for voter mobilization and TV ads in this year's elections."
N.J. Grants Benefits to Same-Sex Partners
AP reports: "Same-sex partners in New Jersey have been granted unprecedented legal, health care and financial rights under a new bill, though the measure stops short of authorizing gay marriage."
In-House Audit Says Wal-Mart Violated Labor Laws
The New York Times reports: "An internal audit now under court seal warned top executives at Wal-Mart Stores three years ago that employee records at 128 stores pointed to extensive violations of child-labor laws and state regulations requiring time for breaks and meals."
Georgia commission finds County Club discriminated against same-sex couple
AP reports: "Atlanta's Human Relations Commission determined that a country club violated a city ordinance by denying same-sex couples the perks given to other families."

In international legal news...

Court rejects Berlusconi immunity law
Reuters reports: "Italy's Constitutional Court has ruled that a law which gives legal immunity to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is illegitimate and has to be revoked, judicial sources say."
NATO troops launch another bid to nab Karadzic
AFP reports: "NATO troops, wearing masks and using sniffer dogs, raided the wartime residence of top war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic in another bid to capture the former Bosnian Serb president, witnesses, NATO and local officials revealed."
Iran Leader Delays Ruling on Exclusion of Reformists
The New York Times reports: "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme religious leader, said Monday that he would not intervene for the moment in the gathering confrontation between the two main political camps in Iran — the hard-liners and the reformists — after a review panel that he controls barred hundreds of reformist candidates from running in parliamentary elections next month."
Court confirms acquittal of Indonesian policeman
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports: "Indonesia's highest court has confirmed the acquittal of a senior policeman accused of human rights abuses in the last days of Indonesian rule over East Timor."
Italy Indicts Alleged Ex-Nazis on Village Massacre Charges
The UK Press Association Reports: "An Italian court today indicted three alleged former members of the Nazi SS on charges of having carried out a 1944 massacre of 560 people in the Italian village of Sant’Anna di Stazzema."
Lawmakers to discuss uneasy relationship with High Court
Haaretz reports: "The President of the High Court of Justice, Aharon Barak, criticized Knesset members on Tuesday, saying that some of their legislation was designed to increase their own political power. The comments come as the Knesset was due to sit in special session Tuesday, to discuss recent rulings by the High Court of Justice - legislators are expected to be harshly critical of the court."
U.K. Serial Killer Shipman, Murderer of 215 Patients, Is Dead
Bloomberg reports: "Harold Frederick Shipman, a doctor who killed at least 215 of his patients over 23 years, was found dead early today in prison, according to the Home Office in London."

That's all for now. Check back after 4 PM this afternoon for the PM legal news brief on JURIST's Paper Chase.