Khadr military commission trial delayed until January News
Khadr military commission trial delayed until January

[JURIST] A US military judge on Friday rescheduled the trial of Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr [DOD materials; JURIST news archive] for January 26. US Army Col. Patrick Parrish granted the defense's motion for an independent psychological and psychiatric examination [Globe and Mail report], which may determine whether Khadr's prior statements to government investigators could be admitted as evidence in the trial. The delay also means that the trial will not resume until the next US president takes office. Both Republican Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama have indicated a desire to close detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay. CBC News has more.

Khadr faces possible life imprisonment if convicted of crimes allegedly committed while he was at the age of 15 while fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan [JURIST news archive]. Khadr was charged [charge sheet, PDF; JURIST report] in April 2007 with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism, and spying.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Dreyfus convicted of treason

On December 22, 1894, Jewish French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial trial that prompted worldwide allegations of anti-Semitism. Dreyfus was later cleared. Learn more about the case of Alfred Dreyfus and read an English translation of the famous public letter J'Accuse...! by novelist and Dreyfus partisan Emile Zola.

US passed Embargo Act, banning foreign trade

On December 22, 1807, the Embargo Act was passed at the urging of US President Thomas Jefferson. The act barred trade with any foreign nations in an effort to avoid American entry into the Napoleonic Wars of Europe. However, the act proved unenforceable and was replaced with the Non-Intercourse Act, which barred trade with France and Great Britain. Learn more about the Embargo Act of 1807 from Monticello.org