Paul Minor Denied Release by 5th Circuit and Justice Department

[Hissyspit]

Source: Op Ed News

Paul Minor Denied Release by 5th Circuit and Justice Department

by Brendan DeMelle Page 1 of 1 page(s)

Justice Department officials told the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday that the government opposes the release of Paul Minor, the prominent Mississippi trial attorney currently serving 11 years in prison following his selective prosecution by the Bush DOJ. The 5th Circuit moved quickly to deny Minor's motion for release. Minor remains locked up in the Pensacola Federal Prison Camp while his wife Sylvia's condition continues to deteriorate. "Her demise is imminent," according to an April 4 report from the oncologist monitoring the progression of her terminal brain cancer.

The wording of the 5th Circuit Court's denial does offer a ray of hope that the two might be reunited, but only if the Obama Justice Department moves quickly to support his emergency furlough. The 5th Circuit response indicates that the judges deliberating Minor's appeal agree that he meets the requirements necessary for a temporary furlough. Different from the release on bail that Minor requested, a temporary furlough could be granted for a period of up to 30 days, allowing Minor to spend time with his dying spouse and to say goodbye in a dignified manner.

The Bureau of Prisons and the Warden could grant a brief furlough for a bedside visit with an armed guard, if deemed necessary. With any luck, the BOP and Warden will allow Minor an extended visit to love and comfort his wife and family under the 30 day furlough statute. Any sense of human decency requires no less - especially when there are substantial questions raised in Mr. Minor's appeal that will likely require reversal of his conviction.

Curiously, the 5th Circuit judges based their denial of Minor's release on Judge Priscilla Owen's previous denial last year of Minor's request for release pending his appeal. Judge Owen recused herself from Minor's case. Owen's recusal was appropriate given her close ties to Karl Rove, who is currently under investigation by the House Judiciary Committee for allegedly targeting key Democrats for prosecution, including Paul Minor, and for his role in the ousting of U.S. attorneys who refused to carry out the partisan bidding of the Bush administration. Rove was reportedly "very impressed" with Priscilla Owen's judicial philosophy when the two met in 1994, and he agreed to shepherd her onto the Texas Supreme Court, collecting nearly a quarter million dollars in fees in the process. Ever since then, according to The New York Times, Priscilla Owen has been "guided by the hand of Karl Rove."

Read more: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Paul-Minor-Denied-Release-by-Brendan-DeMelle-090410-823.html

[pleah]

1. Very sad. n/t

[Demeter]

2. What Is Wrong With This Picture, and Why Hasn't Holder Lifted Ass and Fixed It?

Obama can do his first Presidential Pardon right now. And Siegelman can be his second.

[mod mom]

3. So what this administrations believes in justice only for repukes as well? WTF?

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[noiretextatique]

5. this is incredibly foul

Curiously, the 5th Circuit judges based their denial of Minor's release on Judge Priscilla Owen's previous denial last year of Minor's request for release pending his appeal. Judge Owen recused herself from Minor's case :wtf:

[glitch]

8. This kind of stench won't fade with time either.

Obama's DOJ needs to take care of this ASAP or it will follow them throughout their terms, especially if this man's wife dies before he is released. He will be vindicated eventually, they'd better get ahead of it.

The holds true for all the other Bush crimes, but this one has a very immediate time frame.

[Hawkeye-X]

10. Holder needs to order DOJ to release Minor immediately

And begin impeachment proceedings for the Chimp judges who are illegally installed. Start with Priscilla Owens and end with Chimp himself.

Obama needs to issue the pardons of Minor, Siegelman, and those wrongly convicted based on partianship rulings IMMEDIATELY. Without question.

[glitch]

11. Agreed. It would create a lot of flak and require guts, but he can handle it.

It is the honorable thing to do.

[24601]

14. Isn't acceptance of a pardon

acknowledging the need for "pardon" and admitting the underlying offense? I suspect that seeking a pardon is a last resort and their preference would be overturning their convictions in court, thus erasing them from the books. And a President issuing a pardon is firing silver bullets that tap into the political capital account.

[MasonJar]

6. Smells foul to me. The 5th Circuit based its denial on Rove's friend's former

denial, a friend who has now removed herself. Yet Obama and Holder cannot let him out to see his dying wife. What was his crime, being a Democrat?

[annabanana]

7. Please contact the White House. Surely a temporary furlough

isn't too much to ask..

[Hissyspit]

9. .

[lala_rawraw]

12. yep...disgusting indeed

[No Elephants]

13. If you are not familiar with the original case, here's a link.

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2004/03/15/047/28497