The U.S., Jose Padilla, and Torture

From the Christian Science Monitor:

Miami - Jose Padilla had no history of mental illness when President Bush ordered him detained in 2002 as a suspected Al Qaeda operative. But he does now.

The Muslim convert was subjected to prison conditions and interrogation techniques that took him past the breaking point, mental health experts say.

Two psychiatrists and a psychologist who conducted detailed personal examinations of Mr. Padilla on behalf of his defense lawyers say his extended detention and interrogation at the US Naval Consolidated Brig in Charleston, S.C., left him with severe mental disabilities. All three say he may never recover.

....

The judge in Padilla's criminal case has already ruled that Padilla is suffering from a mental disability, but she refused to allow defense lawyers to explore the issue of whether the disability was caused by Padilla's treatment in the brig.

It's a long story that I didn't totally finish, but I will say this: I would like to see an explanation as to why the judge in the case did not allow defense lawyers to explore the possibility that Padilla's condition was occurred while he was in the brig. As it stands, the ruling serves the function of helping cover up the fact that there has been lots of torture at the hands of the U.S. Government.

And then there is this non-denial:

Defense Department officials reject charges that Padilla was mistreated. "The government in the strongest terms denies Padilla's allegations of torture..." writes Navy Commander J.D. Gordon, a spokesman for the secretary of Defense, in an e-mail.

He adds, "There has never been a substantiated case of detainee abuse at Charleston Navy brig."

Funny thing, that. Padilla was held at Guantanamo Bay for a long time before being transferred to the Charleston Navy brig (I believe the transfer was the result of a court case that the Bush Administration lost). So that denial doesn't really mean shit.