quote:In the end, the only real link between the acknowledged fact that Moussaoui was a terrorist who was willing to die in a suicide attack and the actual attacks of 9/11 existed in the minds of the prosecution. And, at the last minute, these links sprang to life in the fantasy world of the terrorist himself, who cooked up a strange Forrest Gump plot�starring himself and Richard Reid�that the judge herself considered to be hooey and that even the prosecutors didn't believe.
This case was about a conspiracy, about some factual connection, however attenuated, between Zacarias Moussaoui's jihadi heart and the events of 9/11. And although the government has steadfastly stood by its legal claim that it was enough for Moussaoui to have wanted to be on those planes on 9/11, enough for him to have delighted as those planes went down, the jurors recognized this afternoon that a conspiracy to aid in a terror plot requires more than just a bad heart, and more than mere willingness to participate in the next one.
quote:Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: The nasty part of my mind wonders if the Framers didn't originally intend the clause about cruel and unusual punishments to mean "the punishment must fit the crime".
Well, sonsider the depravities of the era- the founding fathers were just fine with prisons forcing labor on prisoners, prisoners two to a cot while chained together and getting only one (pitiful) meal a day.
I'm not saying life in a "supermax" is not harsh, but it's a looong way from torture -particularly when comparing it to even minimum security prisons in other countries.
It's a paradise compared with what a petty thief would get in say, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan.
Also consider that as a such a high-profile prisoner, the likleyhood of his being mistreated in any way is nil.
The adverage drug offender should be so well protected from his fellow inmates.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
Da_bang80
A few sectors short of an Empire
Member # 528
posted
The Vonage Song is that annoying tune from "The 5,6,7,8's" if you've seen Kill Bill Vol:1 then you know who I'm talking about. They're the Japanese girl band seen near the end of the movie.
-------------------- Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept. And the wisdom to hide the bodies of all the people I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
Oh. "Woo Hoo." Yeah. Not even a good song by them.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged
Da_bang80
A few sectors short of an Empire
Member # 528
posted
Is that the actual name of the song? Wow, how original...
-------------------- Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I cannot accept. And the wisdom to hide the bodies of all the people I had to kill today because they pissed me off.
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
"Woo Hoo" Written by George Donald McGraw Performed by The 5.6.7.8's Courtesy of Time Bomb Records, Japan; Sympathy for the Record Industry, U.S.
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: Justice would be for every 9/11 family member to get a turn kicking the shit out of him for the rest of his life.
I was thinking about fitting punishment for people like this. Like, being made to felt the equivalent pain that they inflicted on the innocent civilians... which would probably require something close to death, but also healing them to do it all over again. I then was reminded of a particularly sadistic and horrible imprisonment on Stargate-SG1.
That Goa'uld that was put into a sarcophagus with some monster that would kill the goa'uld and then the goa'uld would be revived for it to happen all over again... forever. Even if the goa'uld managed to defeat the 'monster' - that monster would be revived and would kill the goa'uld again anyway.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: [QUOTE]Originally posted by MinutiaeMan: [qb]
It's a paradise compared with what a petty thief would get in say, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan.
Schapelle Corby residing in the filthy Kerobokan in Bali - convicted for 20 years for having 4.1 kg of marijuana in an unlocked pocket in the outside of her surf-bag. Was never proven to be hers. She was never caught with it on her person. Baggage handlers have been recently shown in Sydney to be dodgey and up to no good. Many inconsistancies. Bali probably produces more Marijuana THERE than warrants any importation. Nothing ads up. Anywhere else (Western/Civilised countries) she'd probably be given max 5 years -oh or a fair trial.
At her plea time, none of the judges spoke English and some sat there reading a book while she was pleading for her life (oh at the time she was possibly going to be sentenced to death).
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
posted
Yet, many are seriously concerned that a lack of communication with like-minded people on this mass-murderer's part might be considered "torture".
Fuck, even bozos like Eddington on (idyllic) Star Trek get solitary!
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
posted
I didn't say I was concerned. Trust me... if it came down to being locked in solitary and being forced to live in gen pop, I'd go for solitary. And yes, I would choose an American prison, even Supermax, over a Middle Eastern any day.
posted
Ahh, Slate. I'm becoming a big fan. Their title for that piece the other day on singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Spanish - "Jos�, can you see?" - pleased me mightily.
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: Yet, many are seriously concerned that a lack of communication with like-minded people on this mass-murderer's part might be considered "torture".
So are you just going with the "mass-murderer" thing despite Simon's post, or have you got evidence that proves that it's wrong?
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Well, accomplice to mass murder is more accurate- it's what he's, in essence, been convicted of.
Legally, it's a sigh of relief for prosecutors that he was not sentenced to death- it avoids endless appeals over the lackluster case they put forth and the defendant's own contradictory statements/testimony.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
Printer-friendly view of this topic
