Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Time Square Car Bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad and the Miranda question


After the early morning arrest of the Time Square car bomb suspect, Faisal Shahzad, more details are coming in [see this morning’s earlier post].  This New York Post video provides a quick recap.


The media seems to be paying close attention to the fact that Faisal Shahzad is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Shahzad being a naturalized U.S. Citizen does raise the Miranda Rights issue once again. John McCain has already spoken up on this topic.

"Obviously that would be a serious mistake...at least until we find out as much information we have," McCain said during an appearance on "Imus in the Morning" when asked whether the suspect, 30-year-old Faisal Shahzad, a naturalized American citizen from Pakistan.
"Don't give this guy his Miranda rights until we find out what it's all about," McCain added.[...]
"There's probably about 350 different charges he's guilty off -- attempted acts of terror against the united States, attempted murder," said McCain, cautioning that he's not privy to the charges with which Shahzad might be charged. "I'm sure there's a significant number to warrant the death penalty."
Even though Shahzad is claiming he acted alone in the attack, McCain might be out of luck here. Shahzad is a naturalized U.S. citizen and unlike the Underpants Bomber, Shahzad actually does have our Constitutional rights.  The left is already beating back McCain’s comments (see these Memeorandum discussions here and here). For a lively discussion on this topic, look at this video with Glenn Beck and Judge Andrew Napolitiano on Fox and Friends this morning.


Video h/t: Hot Air

4 comments:

trinity said...

I saw Lieberman on FOX a little while ago, and he said that there is a law on the books that they could use to take Shazad's rights as a naturalized U.S. citizen away. I know the rest of the Democrats will fight him on that, though.

This administration is loathe to even say the words "Islamic extremist," so they are never going to do anything they need to do to keep us safe from these whackjobs.

Just a conservative girl said...

There shouldn't even be a question, he is a citizen he gets read his rights. We can't pick and chose when we follow the constitition, we are a nation of laws or we are not.

Chris Denning said...

Excuse me, but the Miranda rights of a citizen are not withheld until someone reads you the rights. You have the right to remain silent before they tell you that. Reading the rights is not the moment they are granted. What is this waiting until the last possible minute to tell him? Why do you think he became a citizen? He was thinking ahead.

I hope there is a law that can strip him of citizenship if he became naturalized under false pretenses. But as long as he remains a citizen, you can never read him his rights and he will still have them! If we can make exceptions to the Bill of Rights then they are worthless.

rosewood59 said...

He is an American Citizen. He has rights as an American Citizen. Real him his rights, put him through the legal system (another right), jury by his American peers, send him to federal prison.... and LOL. He's going to have to bend over and pick up the soap. He so richly deserves such attention!

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