US Appellate Judge(Jay Bybee) Declines To Testify On Interrogation Memos He Approved At Justice Dept

Source: Associated Press
WASHINGTON - U.S. Circuit Judge Jay Bybee has declined to give Senate testimony on the memos he approved while at the Justice Department that supported harsh interrogation methods for detainees.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, announced at a Senate hearing Wednesday that Bybee turned down his invitation to appear. Leahy did not provide details.
Leahy had asked Bybee to explain his views on the legality of the extreme interrogation methods and the role he played.
Bybee, a judge on the California-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, headed the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel from October 2001 through March 2003. He signed off on four memos related to the policy.
During his 2003 confirmation hearing, Bybee declined to answer questions about his work in the Legal Counsel's office LinkHere