Angela Bassett's President Evelyn Mitchell makes the shocking decision to suspend habeas corpus in Episode 1 of Zero Day.
The new Netflix series from Narcos creator Eric Newman feels all too prescient in current times, spotlighting the U.S. government's controversial, sweeping actions in the wake of a mysterious cyber attack.
The show joins the likes of Hulu's Paradise as one of the first hit political thrillers of 2025, starring A-list stars like Bassett and Oscar-winner Robert De Niro.
What Does Habeas Corpus Mean in Zero Day?
In a key scene in Zero Day Episode 1, Angela Bassett's President Evelyn Mitchell invokes the term habeas corpus and declares that her new commission has the authority to completely bypass it.
The sequence in question sees Bassett's sitting U.S. president describing where the American government sits following a brief but shocking widespread cyberattack that kicked off the series.
As her administration tries to piece together what happened, she and Congress establish a new commission to discover who was behind the attack and bring them to justice, no questions asked.
All of this is explained by her to Robert De Niro's Former President, George Mullen, who she believes should serve as the face of the new task force.
She tells him, "The only thing more important than a quick result is a result that everyone can trust. They trust you," insinuating the controversial nature of the new commission's level of authority.
To his dismay, Mullen is given a rundown of this group's powers, saying this "special investigatory commission" will be endowed with "extraordinary powers commensurate with the scale of this emergency."
That is where the mention of habeas corpus comes in. President Mitchell tells Mullen, "They will be granting this commission powers of surveillance, powers of search and seizure, if necessary, even the suspension of habeas corpus."
Habeas corpus is a key part of the American justice system, ensuring the right that "any person under arrest [can] appear in person before the court, to ensure that they have not been falsely accused" (via The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History).
The right is protected in the U.S. Constitution under Article I, Section 9, which states, " The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it."
In American history, the right of habeas corpus has only been suspended a handful of times, with the last being during the American Civil War by then-President Abraham Lincoln.
That is why Angela Bassett's TV president's proclamation is so shocking. She is essentially saying that this commission has the power to unlawfully surveil the American people to find a culprit and then proceed with a trial without the person ever appearing in court to plead their case.
This leaves a bitter taste in De Niro's Zero Day character and the audience's mouths, suggesting that there may be more at play than President Mitchell is leading on.
While fans will have to wait to find out exactly what happens next in the hit thriller, Bassett's character seems to want this investigation to be wrapped up and finished as soon as possible.
She looks like she will be happy whether the commission finds the person who perpetrated the cyberattack or just a scapegoat who will satisfy the American people.
Zero Day is streaming on Netflix.
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