Film Sheds Light on Combatant Status Review Tribunals of Guantanamo Bay
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 24, 2009
CONTACT:
Brandon Hensler, Director of Communications, ACLU of Florida, (786) 363-2737 or media@aclufl.org
Orlando, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida Central Chapter will host a free screening of the award-winning courtroom drama, The Response, on July 17th at the Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, followed by a discussion with attorneys Derek Brett and Ben Mayer.
The film, based on actual transcripts of the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals, focuses on the trial of a suspected enemy combatant and the three military judges who must decide his fate. Just weeks ago, Senator Feingold held a hearing to explore the legal and moral questions surrounding the continued use of indefinite detention for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay. While President Obama has ordered the closure of the prison camp, which is scheduled to take place within one year of the halting of its military commissions, the fate of the detainees is still uncertain. “It is important that the general public have full understanding of what takes place on Guantanamo” said Central Regional Office Director, Joyce Hamilton Henry, PhD. ”The Response provides that factual base of information so that we can draw our own conclusion about the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals.”
Winner of the 2009 ABA Silver Gavel Award, the American Bar Association’s highest honor, and acclaim from NPR, The Washington Post, and Dahlia Lithwick of Slate and Newsweek, The Response allows the audience to see and hear what takes place in Guantanamo Bay. Named one of Florida’s “Best Up & Coming Lawyers” by Florida Trend magazine, Derek Brett has worked alongside several prominent organizations, such as the NAACP and the First Amendment Lawyers’ Association, in cases ranging from election law to civil rights and liberties cases. He has served as a frequent commentator and panelist on local and national news and talk shows, addressing a wide range of issues, from the Iraq War to current civil rights litigation. Ben Mayer has participated in the American Constitution Society’s annual national conventions and is licensed to practice law in Florida and Massachusetts. He received his J.D. from Florida State University and his B.A. from Rollins College.
WHAT: The Response Film Screening and Discussion
WHO: Presented by the ACLU of Florida
Derek Brett
Ben Mayer
WHEN: July 17, 2009 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Barry University
Dwayne o. Andreas School of Law
6441 E. Colonial Dr.
Orlando, FL 32807
About the ACLU of Florida
The ACLU of Florida is freedom's watchdog, working daily in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For additional information, visit our web site at: www.aclufl.org.
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