USA could take a lesson from the Russians

[FreakinDJ]

Russia finds Khodorkovsky guilty in second trial

MOSCOW (AFP) – A Moscow court on Monday found jailed tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky guilty in his second fraud trial, a judgement seen as a pivotal moment in Russia's post-Soviet history that upset rights campaigners.

Khodorkovsky and co-accused Platon Lebedev were convicted of embezzlement and money laundering, said judge Viktor Danilkin, dashing the hopes of Russian liberals the trial would show a new approach from Russian courts.

The pair were charged with embezzling 218 million tonnes of oil from Khodorkovsky's Yukos oil giant between 1998 and 2003 and laundering 487 billion rubles (16 billion dollars) and 7.5 billion dollars received from the oil.

"This is an unjust verdict by a court that is not free," Khodorkovsky's lead lawyer Vadim Klyuvgant told journalists. "It is shameful for the country. We will appeal the verdict."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101227/wl_afp/russiapoliticstrialrights

[NoPasaran]

1. Rigged show trials?

Yeah, great idea!

:sarcasm:

[leveymg]

2. Jailing corrupt tycoons? But, who would run America?

[Creative]

3. Are you suggesting that the US should become as corrupt as Russia is?

[JVS]

4. Are you suggesting that it isn't?

[Creative]

5. I think that is an assumption that a rational man could make.

[pampango]

7. Transparency International rates the US at #22, Russia at #154.

http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/results

[Exilednight]

8. Wow, we're not even in the top 20. Oddly, we get beat out by Qatar and Chile. n/t

[Obamanaut]

6. And get out of Afghanistan. (not the same subject, but they did it, so should the US) nt

[gratuitous]

9. We're kind of busy trying to catch up to the Soviet Union

Can this lesson wait a little while?