52 former AG's signed a letter regarding this political conviction, what about this case AG Holder? How Gov Siegelman was treated has really horrified me! Although there may be prosecutorial misconduct in Stevens case, retry him-he is guilty. If you want to bring real justice to a prominent case, look into the Siegelman conviction!
August 3, 11:16 AM, 2007 ·
Judge Fuller and the Trial of Don Siegelman
By Scott Horton
In the American criminal justice system, in a case presented to a jury, the trial judge is less a searcher in pursuit of truth than a referee. As long experience has shown me, it is a myth that the two forces—prosecution and defense—are equally matched. Not only does the prosecution have greater resources and influence, but the typical juror is likely to view the prosecutor as a public servant crusading for the truth and the defense counsel as a gun for hire.
It’s the responsibility of a judge to ensure balanced and fair combat between the prosecution and the defense, guiding and protecting the jurors from outside and improper influences. A good judge will not only make sure that a balance exists in the courtroom, but will pare back inflated charges, or charges for which there is not enough evidence.
Given these standards of judicial conduct, we can ask: in the case against Don Siegelman, did Mark Fuller perform the essential functions that the citizens expect of a federal judge?
Five Unasked Questions
I can see five major questions that should have been asked before the trial began.
The first question was whether it was appropriate for Judge Fuller to handle the case given his highly partisan political past coupled with his clash with the Siegelman administration over the “salary spiking” case in Coffee County.
-snip
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/08/hbc-90000714Did Ex-Alabama Governor Get A Raw Deal?
60 Minutes Reports On Bribery Conviction Of Don Siegelman In A Case Criticized by Democrats And Republicans
(CBS) Is Don Siegelman in prison because he’s a criminal or because he belonged to the wrong political party in Alabama? Siegelman is the former governor of Alabama, and he was the most successful Democrat in that Republican state. But while he was governor, the U.S. Justice Department launched multiple investigations that went on year after year until, finally, a jury convicted Siegelman of bribery.
Now, many Democrats and Republicans have become suspicious of the Justice Department’s motivations. As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, 52 former state attorneys-general have asked Congress to investigate whether the prosecution of Siegelman was pursued not because of a crime but because of politics.
-snip
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/21/60minutes/main3859830.shtml
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
