ACLU v. Department of Defense (Guantanamo Deaths FOIA)

As of early 2008, 41 detainees had attempted suicide at Guantanamo and four had succeeded. The government characterized these acts as publicity stunts but refused to release the suicide notes, autopsy reports, or other documents that would help the American people make up their own minds about what happened. In April 2008 we filed a FOIA lawsuit seeking these records. Many documents were released, including some that were the basis for a dramatic front-page story in the Washington Post, “Guards' Lapses Cited in Detainee Suicides.” Eventually the parties resolved all disputes about withholdings and the case was voluntarily dismissed in July 2009.