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Torture, American Style: A Recipe For Civil Tort Immunity, Matthew J. Jowanna
Torture, American Style: A Recipe For Civil Tort Immunity, Matthew J. Jowanna
Matthew J. Jowanna
If someone is tortured, surely, at a minimum, an intentional tort has been committed against that person. This article specifically addresses the civil tort remedy, or lack thereof, for victims of torture at the hands of employees of the United States. In ratifying the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and in its subsequent reporting to the United Nations Committee Against Torture, the United States has consistently denounced torture and proclaimed itself to be a nation that provides for civil remedies against torturers. However, this article will draw attention to the hypocrisy and self-protection …
42 U.S.C. § 1983: A Legal Vehicle With No International Human Rights Treaty Passengers, Matthew J. Jowanna
42 U.S.C. § 1983: A Legal Vehicle With No International Human Rights Treaty Passengers, Matthew J. Jowanna
Matthew J. Jowanna
How do international human rights treaties interact with the domestic civil rights law of the United States, and particularly 42 U.S.C. § 1983? How should international human rights treaties interact with the domestic civil rights law of the United States? “International law is part of our law, and must be ascertained and administered by the courts of justice of appropriate jurisdiction as often as questions of right depending upon it are duly presented for their determination.” Whether fully implemented in domestic law or not, the United States is obligated to respect the international treaties it ratifies. However, exactly how has …