Shoe bomber sentencing....

[Fmr jarhead]

I just read this, and thought it was interesting. Sorry if it was posted before, but I think it is refreshing to read a judge that "gets it."

Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court.

Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything o say.

His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his "allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah," defiantly stated "I think I ought not apologize for my actions," and told the court "I am at war with your country."

Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below, a stinging condemnation of Reid in particular and terrorists in general:

January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid. Judge Young: Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you. On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General. On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you To 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive with the other.

That's 80 years. On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years consecutive to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of $2 million. The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines. The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.

The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further. This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes.It is a fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist coconspirators,Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There I all too much war talk here and I say that to everyone with the utmost respect. Here in this court, where we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals. As human beings, we reach out for justice. You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature. Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who does it, or that happens to be your view, you are a terrorist...And we do not negotiate with terrorists.

We do not treat with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.

So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist.

A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and where the TV crews were and he said you're no big deal.

You're no big deal.

What your counsel, what your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?

I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know.

It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose. Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom.

So that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely. It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges.

We are about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bare any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms. Look around this courtroom. Mark it well, the world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done. The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.

See that flag, Mr Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. You know it always will.

Mr. Custody Officer. Stand him down.

 

[Comrade]

Wow, I wish there was a recording of that online! Great post.

 

[FollowerOfKeeb]

Why did we bother we the expense of a trial? Why not send him to Gitmo Bay for life?

 

[Hobbit]

Why did we bother we the expense of a trial? Why not send him to Gitmo Bay for life?

Because he was a U.S. citizen and thus subject to our laws. If he was doing acts that would normally land one in Guantanamo, that's treason, punishable by death. He's lucky all he got was a bunch of life sentences.

If I was the judge, I'd add this at the end.

One final note. You, sir, are a dum***. Everyone who knows anything about explosives knows C4 can only be detonated with a detonator. If you light it on fire, it burns. My uncle used to cook with the stuff in the Army. I just hope you have enough sense not to drop the soap.

 

[FollowerOfKeeb]

Because he was a U.S. citizen and thus subject to our laws. If he was doing acts that would normally land one in Guantanamo, that's treason, punishable by death. He's lucky all he got was a bunch of life sentences.

He was also an enemy combatant. He should have been executed on the spot. Wouldn't have been anything wrong with that.

One final note. You, sir, are a dum***. Everyone who knows anything about explosives knows C4 can only be detonated with a detonator.

How does that make me dumb? I didn't SAY anything about C4, you're the dumbass.

 

[Hobbit]

How does that make me dumb? I didn't SAY anything about C4, you're the dumbass.

No, you are. The first part of my post was related to you. I was calling the terrorist a dum***. If you can't see that, then you are what you accuse me of calling you. You really need to work on your reading comprehension, and your attitude just SCREAMS, "I'M 13 AND THAT'S ALMOST GROWN UP AND EVERYBODY IS WRONG BUT ME!"

Oops, didn't notice he was banned. Well, my view still stands. What'd he do? Last I checked, being a moron didn't get you banned.

 

[5stringJeff]

How does that make me dumb? I didn't SAY anything about C4, you're the dumbass.

Buh-bye.

 

[freeandfun1]

What'd he do? Last I checked, being a moron didn't get you banned.

He was previously banned under another ID.

 

[Hobbit]

He was previously banned under another ID.

Ah, I won't ask who. I've seen a dozen like him pass through.

 

[manu1959]

Buh-bye.

damn another playmate implodes.....

 

[Johnney]

damn another playmate implodes.....

kickin them to the curb left and right tonight!