|
A Good Attorney Should Know Better |
|
|
Government Gone Insane
|
|
Written by Bob Sordahl
|
|
Thursday, 19 November 2009 |
 Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama administration intend to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to trial in New York City for masterminding the 9/11 attacks. If you don't know, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has openly and proudly admitted his direction and involvement in the terrible attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.
About the time I think this administration can't go further out into la la land, they conjure up another scheme like this. What they hope to accomplish is murky at best It is pointless and misguided, and no good can come from it.
This administration is intent upon conducting a media circus trial in New York, affording this defendant and a few others, all the legal rights and privileges given to any American citizen. But what if our legal system exhibits one of its inexplicable quirks? What if Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any of his pals are found innocent for any reason?
When quizzed about such a possibility, The Attorney General said he is certain the men will be convicted, but even if a suspect were acquitted, "that doesn't mean that person would be released into our country."
"Certain the men will be convicted." Wait a minute, time out. Can we have a fair trial in this Country if the outcome is a certain conviction? As if Holder's comments weren't enough, President Obama added that "I don't think it will be offensive at all when he's (KSM) convicted and when the death penalty is applied to him."
Wow, that seems really cut and dried. Never mind that the defense will claim that admissions were obtained under duress and torture. Never mind that we will have to wrangle over his status: Terrorist? Enemy combatant? Misunderstood freedom fighter? Who knows?
Holder should be aware, that his position as the top legal prosecutor in this Country gives his comments immense weight. What ever the case, he appears to be playing fast and loose with our criminal justice system, and the results could be devastating. I am shocked that this Country's chief prosecutor doesn't realize you can't prejudice a trial by declaring the outcome in advance. With Holder making a public statement like that, how do we seat an unbiased jury? Perhaps a change of venue to the moon would be in order here.
KSM's attorneys could argue that a fair trial is impossible in New York or even in the United States. If that change of venue were to be granted, America will forever lose control over the fate of any and all captured terrorists. This trial is in serious peril of ending in acquittal or mistrial. What then? Do we deport him? Turn him loose in San Francisco? What? Can you imagine the world wide outcry if the United States goes to great lengths to extend legal rights to KSM before and during the trial only to deny those rights after the verdict is in?
President Obama, and Attorney General Holder, must know in our Country, by definition you cannot have a fair trial if there is no possibility that the defendant will be found innocent, and yet they are painting themselves into a legal corner from which there will be no escape.
|
