Public Ethics Radio: Larry May on Habeas Corpus

Oct 28, 2008

Are habeas corpus petitions, as Barack Obama put it, "the foundation of Anglo-American law"? Or are they just nuisance lawsuits, as John McCain claims?

Are habeas corpus petitions, as Barack Obama put it, "the foundation of Anglo-American law"? Or are they just nuisance lawsuits, "whether it be about the diet, whether it be about the reading material," that will just slow down the legal system and leave us "bollixed up," as John McCain claims? In this episode of Public Ethics Radio, we turn to Professor Larry May for answers.

You may also like

United Nations headquarters, New York City. CREDIT: Shutterstock.com/blurAZ.

JUN 4, 2026 Article

International Humanitarian Law under Stress, Humanitarian Lives under Fire

UN Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud reflects on the erosion of international humanitarian law and the urgent need to restore accountability and protection for aid workers.

MAY 29, 2026 Podcast

Democracy in Retreat

Freedom House's Yana Gorokhovskaia discusses the political and ethical stakes of two decades of global freedom decline.

Tehran, Iran. CREDIT: Shutterstock.com/Mazur Travel

MAY 27, 2026 Article

Iran Is Not Venezuela—But That’s Not the Point: The Ethics of American Tactical Power

Despite vast differences, Washington has treated Iran and Venezuela as parallel cases, writes Neda Bolourchi. What does this reveal about the ethics of American power?

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation