Trial shift

ARTICLE: Trial of alleged Sept. 11 conspirators probably won't be held in Lower Manhattan, By Peter Finn, Carrie Johnson and Anne E. Kornblut, Washington Post, January 30, 2010

I think this is smart. I had no trouble with the civilian court venue, but nobody wants anything that complex and tricky right in Manhattan. A venue change to something more remote and controllable--and cheaper--makes a lot of sense.

Comments

[stuart abrams]

Technically, it does not requre any "venue" change to conduct the trial outside of Manhattan. The constitution says that there is a right to a trial in the state and district where the crime was committed. The Southern District of New York includes not just Manhattan, but numerous counties to the north including Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Sullivan, many of which are quite rural. This also includes Stewart Air Force Base near Newburgh (Orange County). So the trial could be held in any of these places without a change of venue, since all of these counties are within the state and district (Southern District of New York) where the crime was committed. Compliance with proper legal procedure is far more important than the physical location of the trial.