Michael A. Battle

For the theologian and academic see Michael J. Battle.

Michael A. Battle was the Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) at the United States Department of Justice until he resigned, effective March 16, 2007. He was the person who informed seven United States Attorneys on December 7, 2006 that they were being dismissed (see Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy).

Early career

Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy (v · d · e)
Articles
Timeline Summary of attorneys Documents Congressional hearings List of dismissed attorneys Complete list of related articles
G. W. Bush administration officials involved
Fred F. Fielding, White House Counsel William K. Kelley, Deputy White House Counsel William Moschella, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Brett Tolman, U.S. Attorney, District of Utah, former counsel to Senate Judiciary Committee Mary Beth Buchanan, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Pennsylvania, former Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys from 2004 to 2005
Involved administration officials who resigned
Alberto Gonzales, United States Attorney General, former White House Counsel Kyle Sampson, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General Michael A. Battle, Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Michael Elston, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General Monica Goodling, Justice Department's liaison to the White House William W. Mercer, U.S. Attorney, Acting Associate Attorney General (retains position as U.S. Attorney in Montana) Sara Taylor, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs Paul McNulty, Deputy Attorney General Harriet Miers, former White House Counsel (resigned prior to publicity surrounding the controversy, effective January 31, 2007) Karl Rove, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bradley Schlozman, Director Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys; former Acting Assistant Attorney General for, and later Principal Deputy Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division; former interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri
U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary 110th Congress
Patrick Leahy, Chair (D) Arlen Specter, Ranking member, former Chair (R) Chuck Schumer, Chair: Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts (D)
U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary 110th Congress
John Conyers, Chair (D) Lamar Smith, Ranking member (R) Linda Sánchez, Chair: Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (D)

Battle is a 1981 graduate of University at Buffalo Law School.^[1] From 1985 to 1992, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Buffalo, New York, where he served in the General Criminal Division, the Civil Division, and on the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. Following his admission to the New York bar, he worked as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society Civil Division. In 1992, he helped to establish the Rochester and Buffalo Federal Public Defender's Offices, where he served until 1995. In June 1996, he was appointed by Governor George Pataki to serve as a judge on the Erie County (New York) Family Court and was elected the following November to a full 10-year term. From 1995 to 1996, he served as Assistant in Charge of the Buffalo office of the New York State Attorney General.

From January 2002 to May 2005 Battle served as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York.

Involvement in the internment of Benamar Benatta

During his time as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, he was responsible for the case of Benamar Benatta. Benatta was held without trial for five years following his forcible rendition from Canada on September the 12th 2001. The FBI concluded Benatta was innocent that November however according to federal Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr, Battle then conspired with the FBI and immigration agents in a "sham" to make it appear that Benatta was being held for immigration violations.^[2]

In October 2003, when Battle announced he was dropping charges, a Buffalo reporter asked whether he planned to apologize to Benatta, Battle responded "I'm not going to address that.^[3]" Benamar Benatta was finally released in 2006 after 5 years, despite being cleared in November 2001.

According to Judge Schroeder who was assigned to investigate Benatta's treatment, "Prosecutors trampled on legal deadlines intended to protect his constitutional rights and later offered explanations for their manoeuvres that bordered on ridiculousness," he found that the government compounded its mistakes by failing to act once it was clear that Benatta was not an accomplice to terrorists. A United Nations working group later described the treatment of Benatta as torture.^[4] Battle was then promoted by the White House. The Los Angeles Times reported that Benatta had been held for a total of 1,780 days, holding the distinction of being held without charge longer than any other suspect in the US.^[5]

Executive Office for the United States Attorneys

See also: Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy

Battle began his service as Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) at the United States Department of Justice on June 6, 2005. He was involved the Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy, as he was the Justice Department official who, on December 7, 2006, informed seven US Attorneys that they were being dismissed.^[6] Just as publicity was heating up, and Congressional inquiries began, he resigned on March 5, 2007, effective March 16.^[7]

References

1. ^ "New Job for Michael Battle '81". University of Buffalo Law School. http://law.buffalo.edu/ublawlinks/05-2005/default.asp?l1=13&f=Battle. 
2. ^ Michael Battle's involvement in the internment of Benamar Benatta as detailed in the Washington Post
3. ^ refused to consider apology per Washington Post
4. ^ UN working group described Benatta's treatment as torture in Benamar Benatta v. United States of America, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, U.N. Doc. E/CN.4/2005/6/Add.1 at 67 (2004).
5. ^ Post-9/11 Detainee Returns to His Life, Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2006
6. ^ Hartley, Allegra (2007-03-21). "Timeline: How the U.S. Attorneys Were Fired". US News & World Report. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070321/21attorneys-timeline.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-26. 
7. ^ David Johnston (March 6, 2007). "Messenger in Prosecutors' Firings Quits". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/washington/06inquire.html?ex=1330837200&en=682ea9a6d2069de0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. 

He was also credited with the arrest and prosecution of the Lackawanna Six Terror Cell during the time of September 11, 2001

External links

• Michael A. Battle Official Biography

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