Judge Orders Hearing Into Destruction of Interrogation Videotapes

A federal judge has scheduled a hearing (PDF) Friday to consider whether the CIA violated a court order barring the destruction of evidence by destroying two videotaped interrogations.

U.S. District Judge Henry Kennedy of Washington, D.C., refused a Justice Department request to stay out of the controversy, the Associated Press reports. Kennedy acted on a request by Guantanamo Bay detainees.

In a motion arguing for a court hearing, detainee lawyer David Remes said the Justice Department wants to conduct the only investigation into the tapes' destruction. Remes, of Covington & Burling, questioned whether such a probe would be adequate.

“Plainly the government wants only foxes guarding this henhouse,” his court filing said, according to a document (PDF) posted by SCOTUSblog.