terrorist sentencing

A good friend of mine e-mailed me this and I thought it was quite interesting. I don't know if the quotes are exact, but it bears posting, IMO. I am definitely in agreement with the words of this judge, be them direct quotes or not... what do you guys think??? Again, this did not come from an official source but I think the sentiment expressed warrants a few comments, at least.

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it?

Did you know his trial is over?
Did you know he was sentenced?
Did you see/hear any of the judge's comments on TV/Radio?
Didn't think so.
Everyone should hear what the judge had to say.
Ruling by Judge William Young U.S. District Court.

Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he had anything to 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 co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans We have been through the fire before. There is 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.

So, how much of this Judge's comments did we hear on our TV sets? We need more judges like Judge Young, but that's another subject. Pass this around. Everyone should and needs to hear what this fine judge had to say. Powerful words that strike home.

God bless America

[edit on 7/13/04 by The Axeman]

I have seen the lack of response before on this forum. Most of you posters are shepels. You have a flock mentality and bleat in unision. You hide amongst the other sheep in the heard when danger is near.
This poster has made a statement that effects ever American citizen. It extends beyond race and greed. Why do you remain silent? Does silence speak for agreement. If it does why are you not rallying to support those views expressed by judge Young?

I have seen the holier than thou attacks before on this forum. Most of these are like the buzzing of flies. You have a high and mighty mentality and think you are above others. Pipe down rub-a-dub, patience is a virtue.

Yes the comments that went with this sentencing are powerful. I particularly liked the part where the Judge told Reid he was no big deal. Ask yourself why this wasn't plastered all over the news as evidence of the justice and strength of the United States. Could be said that it would give Reid publicity, but at this stage in the game I would think that it would give justice the last word.

No, I don't think it can be said that the reason for this not being all over the media was an act of modesty. By nature America is not a modest nation, and I don't mean that disrespectfully. It's just a fact. In reality this sort of stuff should be a headline example of what American justice is all about.

Shouldn't they be sending this message to other terrorists?

All of you people who accuse Democrats of not being patriotic should read that.

Why was this not on CNN, the Court Channel, and other media outlets here in the U.S.?

Originally posted by ladyspiritguide
Why was this not on CNN, the Court Channel, and other media outlets here in the U.S.?

It was big news last year when he was sentenced. The only site still archiving the sentencing is CNN. Here's the link.

CNN

Judge Young's words were quite exceptional.

I agree with the Judge that this guy was a terrorist, not an enemy combatant.

However, I find it unsettling that the mantra of "the terrorists do it because they hate our freedom" is being perpetuated in our courts as well as our media.

No geopoliticist will say it's that simple. There are many, many factors behind terror and it behooves us all to learn about them instead of citing meaningless catchphrases.

-koji K.

After reading that, it made me think that the media is spoon feeding terrorism. The matyr status seems to be gained when there's media attention and the people get to see it. Hands down to the media for not showing up to the courtroom. obviously not an action taken by Bush but a mere coincidence that the judgement passed in silence. If all judgements were like this, passed in silence, terrorism will eventually be nullified. What their fighting for is matyrdom, tv appearance, like bin laden who's being spoonfed to every individual every which way you turn.

Nice judgement...

oh yeah and silence of lambs was a movie starring anthony hopkins and has no relevance to the topic at hand as posted by flycatch.

Taking suspects to court, trying them, convicting, and sentencing them is fine.

We need a whole lot more of it in this subject rather than this indefinite detaining that makes me quite suspicious that the people being held have little to nothing to do with actual terrorism when for cases like Reid, justice was swift.

Patriotic rhetoric doesn't need to fill our heads 24/7. The "they hate our freedom" stuff is used by Bush to promote invasions that have nothing to do with reality regarding the true threat of terrorism.