|
Feds: Lace Up Shoe Bomber Case
Edited for length...To prosecutors, Richard Reid is a terrorist who shows no remorse for trying to blow up a jetliner with 197 people aboard. Defense lawyers contend he is a troubled man who was trying to defend his religion. He faces 60 years to life in prison. U.S. District Judge William Young was expected to determine Reid's sentence and rule on a motion filed Wednesday by defense lawyers asking the judge to postpone sentencing on seven of the eight charges until Reid is given access to classified information they say could help him. In the meantime, Reid's lawyers have asked that he receive the mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years on the charge of using a destructive device during a crime of violence. The other counts include attempted murder and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Prosecutors are asking for life in prison. At Thursday's sentencing hearing, both Reid and people who were on board the plane were expected to be allowed to testify. Young earlier had turned down Reid's request to declassify certain unspecified documents in the case after prosecutors expressed concern he might somehow use the information to send coded messages to other terrorists. Defense attorney Owen Walker has argued the documents could help explain Reid's motivation and give his family some peace of mind. Walker asked that Reid be allowed to present the documents publicly at his sentencing hearing. "To a certain extent, it's a fishing expedition," said CBS News Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen. During a separate discussion in a hearing last week, Walker said Reid, who converted to Islam about eight years ago, "is convinced that (the United States), by sanctions on Iraq, has killed two million children in Iraq." I really am tired at hearing that we have to "understand his reasons". No, we don't. He tried to blow up the plane, he got caught, he admitted it, that's it. Put him away forever. Posted by: Steve 2003-01-30 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=9729 |