Tammy Bruce: Justice/Judiciary Archives

Justice/Judiciary Archives

Ramos and Compean Drug Smuggler Pleads Guilty

Former U.S. Border Patrol agent Ignacio Ramos embraced his wife, Monica Ramos, two days before he was sentenced to 11 years in prison (El Paso Times)

This broke a few days ago but obviously worth noting. The drug smuggler our border agents, Ramos and Compean, who were tried and imprisoned for trying to stop, has plead guilty to multiple drug charges.

Drug Smuggler in Border Agents Saga Pleads Guilty

The Mexican national who was the star witness in a controversial prosecution that resulted in the sentencing of two Border Patrol agents to more than a decade in prison pleaded guilty to multiple drug charges in federal court Thursday.

On Feb. 17, 2005, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila attempted to smuggle more than 700 pounds of marijuana into the United States along the Texas-Mexico border, in the small town of Fabens, Texas. As he tried to flee arrest on foot, two Border Patrol agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, shot at him. Ramos's bullet hit Davila in the buttocks.

The incident gained national attention when U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton with the Western District of Texas worked out an immunity deal for Davila if he would return to the United States and testify against Ramos and Compean...

Davila was arrested and indicted last November based on two other drug deals from 2005, and he has pleaded guilty to those crimes. Those crimes, in which he tried to bring illegal drugs into the country in September and October 2005, occurred after he was given immunity for the initial drug bust in February 2005, when he was shot.

Davila was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

Davila brought those two loads into the United States during a time when the U.S. Justice Department had given him six unconditional border-crossing cards.

But thank goodness we've got those two pesky border guards in prison. But there is continued action on their behalf. Here's news from today as covered by the Dallas Morning News.

Clemency sought for Border Patrol agents who shot smuggler

Sen. John Cornyn is again calling for presidential clemency in the case of two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler.

The Texas Republican, joined by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., sent a letter to President Bush on Monday, urging him to commute the sentences of former agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos, who are serving terms of 12 and 11 years.

Posted by Tammy · April 23, 2008 03:08 PM · Permalink · Comments (2)
Border Security | Death of Right and Wrong | Justice/Judiciary

Treason Now Gets You Only 10 Years In Prison

Maybe even less. Selling out our nation's security to a Communist pit ultimately bent on destroying the Free World is a crime which should get you hanged. Apparently not these days, even when spying for China, one of the most depraved, genocidal nations on Earth.

Former Pentagon official pleads guilty in China spy case

A former Pentagon official pleaded guilty in court Monday to an espionage charge over the disclosure of secret data to an alleged Chinese agent in the US. Gregg Bergersen said he was unaware that the Taiwan-born businessman was passing the information to China. Mr. Bergersen, a weapons systems policy analyst who resigned his job last week, could face up to 10 years in prison.

The leaked data concerned US weapons programs for Taiwan, which China has threatened to regain by force, if necessary. Taiwan is a potential flash point for US-China rivalry in East Asia, and US military support for Taiwan is an irritant to Beijing. In turn, Taiwan has flagged China's steady buildup of missiles capable of hitting Taiwan. US military officials have warned that China and Russia have stepped up military spying activities in recent years, focusing on advanced weapon technology...

In two separate developments this week, a judge in California agreed to postpone until next May the trial of a Chinese-American engineer charged with stealing military and aerospace trade secrets on behalf of China, the Associated Press reports, and a federal court sentenced a Chinese-born engineer working on a Navy warship to 24 years in jail for trying to pass "sensitive data" to China, Bloomberg reports.

Despite all this, including the poisoned and tainted food and medicine with which China has been flooding our nation, as well as dangerous and defective toys for children and weakened steel for our buildings, President Bush still plans on traveling to China to enjoy the Olympic games while boosting the image of that pit as a civilized nation.

No wonder they have contempt for us as they try to issue Death by a Thousand Cuts.

Schlussel on Islamist-Sympathizer Detroit Mayor's Indictment

Oh brother. The only thing missing is a sequin-encrusted Cadillac.

Debbie provides the commentary on the system finally catching up to a ridiculous and corrupt man.

"D-Day" in Detroit: Thuggish, Pan-Islamist Mayor Kwame "The Kingpin" Kilpatrick Learns His Fate

This is probably the clearest illustration of the state of the left and Democrat Party.

Posted by Tammy · March 24, 2008 02:44 PM · Permalink · Comments (12)
Corruption | Justice/Judiciary | Leftists | Shenanigans

One Arrest, One Suspect Photo in Campus Murders

**Scroll down after the jump for updates**

Good news in the horrific, mindless campus murders of two remarkable young women.

Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of Auburn University Freshman Lauren Burke. The motive? Robbery. They had better not allow this depraved SOB plea bargain his way out of the death penalty.

Lauren Burke and the maniac who 'allegedly' murdered her in cold blood.

A man arrested after a car and foot chase by police who suspected him in a string of robberies was charged with capital murder in the abduction and shooting death of an Auburn University student, police said Saturday.

Courtney Lockhart was arrested Friday in Phenix City, about 30 miles from the campus where 18-year-old Lauren Burk was a freshman. She was found shot on the side of an off-campus road Tuesday night and her car was found burning in a campus parking lot...In a short pursuit, Lockhart's car broke down and he was captured by officers while trying to flee on foot, Dawson said.

Lockhart, 23, was charged with three capital counts accusing him of murder along with kidnapping, robbery and attempted rape, Dawson said.

In another stunning case, North Carolina police have released ATM security photos of a man attempting to use the ATM card of murdered North Carolina student body president Eve Carson.

Eve Carson and the "person of interest."

North Carolina police on Saturday released two ATM surveillance pictures of a "person of interest" in the case of a slain university student and said it appeared to be a random killing.

Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian Curran, speaking at a news conference, described the pictures as "our biggest break so far" in the investigation into the death of Unversity of North Carolina student body president Eve Carson...Police have yet to identify the person in the photos, who apparently used an ATM card belonging to Carson, a senior who was shot to death early Wednesday on a city street not far from campus.

Curran said police have circulated the pictures with police departments in North Carolina, hoping their officers can help identify the suspect. The ATM photos show a young man in a baseball cap and hooded sweat shirt driving a sport utility vehicle that may be Carson's Toyota Highlander, Curran said.

In both of these utter tragedies, the victims were shot to death. As a feminist, I look at these horrors and it simply reinforces my deeply-held belief that all women, especially young campus women, should learn to use a firearm and be given concealed weapons permits. Send your prayers to the families and friends of these young, as we all suffer the loss of two extraordinary bright minds.

And let's hope the police get this other freak who thought murdering Eve Carson to get her wallet and car was a good idea.

UPDATES 3/9:

Posted by Tammy · March 8, 2008 03:17 PM · Permalink · Comments (11)
Crime | Death of Right and Wrong | Justice/Judiciary | Tragedy

Pet Food Company Announces Settlement

Diamond Pet Foods has announced a $3.1 million settlement with pet owners whose pets dies or suffered as a result of contaminated food manufactured by Diamond.

Maker of tainted dog food to pay $3.1M

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A company that made contaminated pet food that killed dozens of dogs nationwide will pay $3.1 million in a settlement with pet owners, an attorney said Friday.

The pet food, which contained a mold called aflatoxin, was produced at Diamond Pet Foods' plant in South Carolina. The company will set up a fund to reimburse pet owners for the loss of their dog, veterinarian bills and the cost of any unreturned contaminated food, said attorney Jim Andrews, who represented a Knoxville, Tenn., family that sued the company.

Posted by Tammy · January 4, 2008 12:59 PM · Permalink · Comments (1)
Animal Issues | Justice/Judiciary | Recalls

Vick Sentenced to 23 Months for Dogfighting

He could have been sentenced to 5 years. This is for the federal conviction, and he still faces state charges. Hopefully someone at that level will see the torture and murder of helpless creatures as a matter more serious that the Feds consider it. The five years he could have received is nothing, and the less than two years is a joke. He will, of course, serve only a fraction of that. Disgusting.

Vick gets 23 months for dogfighting

RICHMOND, Va. - Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls.

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback could have been sentenced up to five years by District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Vick was dressed in a black-and-white striped prison suit and apologized to the court and his family...In a plea agreement, he admitted bankrolling the dogfighting ring on his 15-acre property in rural southeastern Virginia and helping kill pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights. He also admitted providing money for bets on the fights but said he never shared in any winnings.

Beast.

Posted by Tammy · December 10, 2007 07:59 AM · Permalink · Comments (3)
Animal Issues | Crime | Justice/Judiciary

Save Congo, Sentenced to Die for Protecting Owner

Congo and friends.

Congo is an 85-pound German Shepherd who attacked an Honduran landscaper in Princeton. NJ after the illegal alien, fearing the dog, grabbed the wife and mother of the family to use her as a human shield. She understandably screamed, and Congo, appropriately, attacked. Congo has now been sentenced to death by a judge for the attack, and the illegal alien has received $250,000 in an insurance settlement. There is a growing "Save Congo" movement which focuses on pressuring New Jersey governor Corzine to pardon the dog. Here's the story.

Immigration debate ignited after gardener mauled by dog in N.J.

A dog scheduled to be put down after mauling a gardener from Honduras has ignited a debate over immigration and dog owners' rights in this university town.

The gardener, Giovanni Rivera, was attacked in June by a German shepherd named Congo and four other dogs at a Princeton home where he did landscaping. Charges were filed against the family who owned the dogs, and Rivera received an insurance settlement of $250,000...

James [the owner of Congo] contends the men showed up early when the dogs were eating, and disregarded his calls for them to stay in their vehicle. He said Congo attacked Rivera after the panicked gardener grabbed his wife from behind and pulled her down, causing her to scream.

Rivera's lawyer, Kevin S. Riechelson, said his client, who is still in New Jersey, did not want to speak about the incident because he was scared after the public outcry over the decision to put the dog down. But Riechelson and Kim Otis, the prosecutor who handled the case, described the attack as unprovoked, saying Rivera never pulled Elizabeth James down to the ground.

Notice the specificity of the never pulled her "down to the ground." The fact of the matter is, while they may not have ended up on the ground, Rivera has admitted to grabbing Mrs. James in an attempt to protect himself from the dog, who had not attacked him. Rivera was simply afraid of the dog so he decided to use Mrs. James as his personal Human Shield.

If you would like to support Congo, contact New Jersey Governor John Corzine's office at 609-292-6000 and encourage a pardon. There is also an email form at his official website.

Posted by Tammy · December 5, 2007 09:42 AM · Permalink · Comments (15)
Animal Issues | Just Wrong | Justice/Judiciary

File This Under: Cry Me a River

Victim of Guards Gone Wild

Joe Francis. Loser.

Or the equally appropriate heading "Poetic Justice."

'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Claims Abuse

CHICKASHA, Okla. (AP) - The millionaire producer of the "Girls Gone Wild" video series has accused guards of abusing him during his brief stay at an Oklahoma jail, a newspaper reported Friday.

Francis, 34, was held at the jail from May 17 to June 4 while being moved from a Florida jail to a federal facility in Reno, Nev., where he is awaiting trial next year on a tax evasion charge.

Guards at the Grady County Law Enforcement Center denied Joe Francis food and blankets and threatened to strap him naked to a chair for 48 hours, Francis' attorneys alleged last month in court papers seeking his release on bail in a Florida case, The Oklahoman reported.

Yes, but did they shout, "Take it off! Take it off!" while throwing Mardi Gras beads at him?

Posted by Tammy · November 24, 2007 05:05 PM · Permalink · Comments (18)
Crime | Justice/Judiciary

Evidence Against Astronut Nowak Tossed

Former astronaut Lisa Nowak, before and after

So much for justice as we continue to treat people, including those who appear to be ready to kidnap and murder someone, like they're mindless infants.

Judge throws out statement, evidence against Nowak

ORLANDO, Fla. —A judge agreed today to suppress Lisa Nowak's police statement and evidence against her, an apparent big break for the former astronaut accused of pepper spraying her rival in a love triangle involving another astronaut.

The evidence ordered suppressed by Circuit Court Judge Mark Lubet included a wig and trench coat Nowak wore, along with a knife, BB gun, trash bags, plastic gloves and green tubing found in her car at the time of her arrest in an airport parking lot...

Her defense lawyer argued that Nowak never was properly advised of her Miranda rights to an attorney and to remain silent and also of her right to decline a search of her car without a warrant.

As we give certain people the edge in court all the time based on the lack of intelligence (ranging from whether or not a defendant 'understood' their actions to banning the death penalty for the 'retarded') the accomplished and smart should be expected to know, in this day and age, the simplest of their rights.

Posted by Tammy · November 2, 2007 07:08 PM · Permalink · Comments (12)
Just Wrong | Justice/Judiciary

Child Predator Bastard Stiles Still Out There

Two different shots of Chester Stiles

They think he may be in Southern California, but I hate it when stories like that get out because if you're not in SoCal you may not keep your eyes out for him. We must presume this beast can be anywhere. He has vowed to not be taken alive. Fine with me. The authorities, of course, are saying they want him alive. Blah, blah, blah.

Here's a roundup of the latest, including the details of the man who "found" the tape finally turning himself back in to authorities.

Suspect in video sex tape a survivalist, former animal trainer

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The fugitive accused of raping a little girl on videotape was portrayed Monday as a dangerous, knife-wielding survivalist who once vowed never to be taken alive...Stiles formerly worked as an animal trainer with Las Vegas illusionists Siegfried & Roy.

Darrin Tuck

Tuck Negotiates A Surrender

After evading arrest for two days, authorities say that 26-year-old Darrin Tuck has turned himself in to Nye County, Nev. authorities. Tuck went on the run just after he sat down with AMW for an exclusive interview about his involvement in the case involving Chester Stiles and the videotaped sexual assault of an underage [underage?! Try "little" or "3-year old baby". Sheesh.--ed.] girl. Nye County authorities claim that Tuck's options for staying on the lam had simply run out. Detectives tell AMW that Tuck negotiated his surrender through a family friend who worked as a bailiff.

Tina Allen, Stiles' girlfriend, who should be arrested on charges of Monumental Rank Stupidity and endangering her own children because of her lunacy

Ex-girlfriend tells how child rape suspect met girl

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- An intense manhunt was under way Monday for Chester Stiles, a 37-year old man whom police say is a suspect in the videotaped rape of a 3-year-old girl four years ago.

Also Monday, Stiles' former girlfriend told CNN she believes she put him in contact with the girl. Tina Allen said she is "disgusted" and "mortified" at her role in bringing them together... Allen said she and Stiles had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for 10 years and that he was good with her children.

"He said he'd been in the Navy and, you know, I was looking for a strong guy to represent to my sons what I thought they needed to be," Allen said. Allen took Stiles to a crowded apartment where her son and daughter lived. Also living in the apartment were a family friend and her 3-year-old daughter, who allegedly was victimized by Stiles.

"I'm disgusted. I'm ashamed, embarrassed, mortified," Allen said. "I regret every, every step I ever took; I feel bad for the baby."

Well, that's big of her.

Nye County Sheriff Takes Flack Over Handling of Case

The crime was first uncovered in Pahrump, where investigators agonized over whether to go public with the little girl's picture. Now, the Nye County sheriff's department is the taking the brunt of critics in the national media, who say they bungled the investigation.

Posted by Tammy · October 1, 2007 09:36 PM · Permalink · Comments (8)
Children | Crime | Death of Right and Wrong | Justice/Judiciary

Ted Olson on Short List for Attorney General

This is great news. President Bush's ridiculous Harriet Meirs nomination for the USSC is one of many events which make me question his judgment. But if this is true, nominating Ted Olson for the AG position would not only be genius, but he would be nominating a man who would be remarkable in the position. It would be, IMHO, the first nomination from the president for virtually any post, that makes 100% absolute sense.

Part of me still so distrusts his ability to do the right thing, I don't think he'll do it. I so hope I'm wrong.

Bush weighs Olson to replace Gonzales

President Bush has not yet chosen a new attorney general, but conservatives say they are ecstatic to learn that former Solicitor General Theodore B. (Ted) Olson is one of five finalists.
“Democrats have expressed reservations, but conservatives would be ecstatic,” said a Republican close to the White House. “The calculation is whether a hard confirmation fight is the right way to go at this point in the game. It’s a decision whether the White House wants to get in the ring and get the gloves on.”

Friends of Olson say he would take the job if it’s offered...

Officials tell Politico that the other finalists are former U.S. district chief judge Michael Mukasey of New York, the Democrats’ favorite on the list; Laurence H. Silberman, a senior circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; George J. Terwilliger, a former deputy attorney general under President George H.W. Bush; and Larry D. Thompson, a former deputy attorney general in this administration.

Olson’s wife, Barbara K. Olson, 45, was among the passengers who died on American Airlines Flight 77 when it was hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001...

Olson was a member of the President's Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, created at the suggestion of the 9/11 commission. He is chairman of Rudy Giuliani's Justice Advisory Committee.

Olson, partner in the Washington office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, was Solicitor General of the United States from 2001-2005. The solicitor general argues administration cases before the Supreme Court. Under President Ronald Reagan, Olson was Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel from 1981-1984.

Send good vibes for the choice to be Olson. There are so few people in Washington left to admire. John Bolton is one, Ted Olson is another. Please please please please...

Posted by Tammy · September 11, 2007 03:08 PM · Permalink · Comments (7)
Good News | Justice/Judiciary | Politics

Vick Pleads Guilty, Finds Jesus

I didn't know Jesus was missing. Oh, newsflash for Vick: Jesus likes dogs, just like the judge who will be sentencing your sorry ass.

Vick: I Found Jesus

Between apologies to everyone from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank -- to all the kids who used to look up to him, Vick declared that he's found Jesus and has turned his life over to God.

"I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself, to say the least. I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts. What I did was very immature, so that means I need to grow up."

Yes, and it means you also need to be shunned, unemployed and rejected by civilized society. Oh, and being place in a cage with a bunch of really angry dogs couldn't hurt either.

In the meantime, for some reason eBay has yanked a Mauled Michael Vick Trading Cards auction from their site. But another, courtesy of Lilli the Lab is still up.

Also, here is the complete text of Vick's remarks. And during a press conference, the owner of the Atlanta Falcons stated that Vick very well may be allowed to play again with their team. Fine. Let the Falcons owner find out what happens when animal lovers everywhere have a target to boycott.

Jose Padilla Found Guilty of Supporting Terrorism

As were his two co-defendants. I would hope Supermax Prison is in their future, so they can experience that living hell for the rest of their pathetic lives.

I was nervous about this verdict, considering juries can be known for having arrived on the short bus, but in this instance, they arrived at the right verdict in just a day and a half. Good for them and good for us. Now getting some big fish would be nice. Our assault on Tora Bora yesterday and today is nice, just about 6 years late, though.

Padilla Is Convicted in Terrorism Case

Jose Padilla was convicted of federal terrorism support charges Thursday after being held for 3 1/2 years as an enemy combatant in a case that came to symbolize the Bush administration's zeal to stop homegrown terror.

Padilla, Adham Amin Hassoun and Kifah Wael Jayyousi face possible sentences of life in prison if convicted of all three charges in the case.

The three are accused of being part of a North American support cell that provided supplies, money and recruits to groups of Islamic extremists. The defense contended they were trying to help persecuted Muslims in war zones with relief and humanitarian aid.

Posted by Tammy · August 16, 2007 11:29 AM · Permalink · Comments (4)
Good News | Justice/Judiciary | Terrorism

Kill Your Husband, Serve Two Months

And people are appropriately outraged over the rapist who served six months. With news like this, it seems like the death of right and wrong continues to gain steam.

Mary Winkler Free After Serving Two Months for Killing Preacher Husband

The woman convicted of manslaughter in the shotgun slaying of her minister husband was freed Tuesday after serving 67 days in custody.

Mary Winkler was released from a mental health facility where she had been undergoing treatment for about two months, defense attorney Steve Farese Sr. said. He has declined to identify the facility where Winkler was held.

Winkler, 33, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2006 shotgun slaying of her husband, Matthew, at the Church of Christ parsonage in Selmer, where the couple lived with their three young daughters.

She was charged with first-degree murder, but jurors convicted her of the lesser charge after she testified that her husband abused her and demanded sex she considered unnatural.

I remember to good ol' days when a normal person's response to things like that would be called "getting a divorce." Men, of course, usually don't have the luxury of using the "she deserved it" excuse to get away with murder, but I;m sure we're not too far away from days like that if we continue on this path. It's possible to reverse the moral relativism gripping our society, but we've got to reverse the left's impact on the academy, the media, and the justice system. Tall orders, I know, but the future of our nation is worth it.

Posted by Tammy · August 14, 2007 01:56 PM · Permalink · Comments (5)
Crime | Death of Right and Wrong | Just Wrong | Justice/Judiciary

Alleged Child Molester Freed Because No Translator Could Be Found

For get about the fact that the 'immigrant' from Liberia attended high school and a community college in Maryland, and spoke English to detectives. Instead, because of political correctness the court released this rapist of a 7-year-old because they couldn't find an interpreter for his native Liberian language. Oh, and let's not mention the fact that Liberia was founded by freed American slaves, or that the official language of Liberia is...English.

Interpreter Trouble Ends Sex-Abuse Case

Charges against a man accused of raping and repeatedly molesting a 7-year-old girl have been dropped because the court took too long to find an interpreter fluent in his native West African language.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Katherine D. Savage dismissed the nearly three-year-old case against Mahamu Kanneh last week, saying the delays had violated the Liberian immigrant's right to a speedy trial...

Police arrested Kanneh, of Gaithersburg, in August 2004 after witnesses told police he assaulted the girl multiple times. He spent one night in jail and was released on a $10,000 bond with the restriction that he have no contact with minors.

Prosecutors at first maintained Kanneh could understand the proceedings without translation into his native Vai, a tribal language that linguists estimate is spoken by about 100,000 people mostly in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Prosecutors pointed out that Kanneh attended high school and community college in Montgomery and spoke to detectives in English...The first interpreter stormed out of the courtroom in tears because she found the facts of the case disturbing. A second interpreter was rejected for faulty work. A third Vai interpreter was located, but at the last minute, that person had to tend to a family emergency.

In recent weeks court officials had found a suitable interpreter, but Savage ruled that too much time had already passed...Loretta E. Knight, the court clerk responsible for finding interpreters, said her office searched exhaustively for a speaker of Vai. She said court officials contacted the Liberian Embassy and courts in all but three states.

The Washington Post reported that it identified three Vai interpreters Thursday with help from the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters, including one in Gaithersburg.

One more highlight of the depravity of political correctness and the sort of system the left has worked for decades to bring about.

UPDATE:

Plame's Lawsuit Against All Sorts of People Dismissed

Valerie Plame

The lesson here is quite clear: If you sue people for "outing" you as a spy, who didn't out you as a spy, your lawsuit will get thrown out.

Ex-CIA Agent's Suit Against Top Officials Is Dismissed

A former undercover CIA operative who sued Vice President Cheney and other top government officials for exposing her tie to Langley, Valerie Plame, is planning an appeal after a federal judge tossed the case out.

In a 41-page ruling yesterday, Judge John Bates concluded that the lawsuit was fatally flawed even if Ms. Plame and her husband, Joseph Wilson IV, could prove the existence of a high-level conspiracy to punish her for Mr. Wilson's criticism of the White House's statements on Iraq.

When they filed their suit a year ago, the couple claimed their constitutional rights were violated by Mr. Cheney, his former chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby Jr., and a top White House political adviser, Karl Rove. In September, after it emerged that a former deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage, triggered the first published mention of Ms. Plame's CIA connection, the couple added Mr. Armitage as a defendant in the case.

Yeah, it's not easy to accept that it was a sloppy gossip who "outed" you, or facing the fact that you're just not important enough for the leaders of the free world to be obsessing about you in the manner in which you imagined.

And for MalNars, "imagined" is indeed the operative word.

Posted by Tammy · July 20, 2007 01:25 AM · Permalink · Comments (8)
Just Plain Stupid | Justice/Judiciary | Malignant Narcissism | Politics

Suddenly the Rule of Law Matters to the President

Here's a picture of Valerie Plame, even though what Libby was convicted of had nothing to do with her, just simply because she's nicer to look at than Scooter Libby.

I happen to support the commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence, but I can't help but be amused at the length Tony Snow is going to this morning at a briefing expressing how and why President Bush decided to spare Libby from prison.

One of his explanations? Paraphrasing here, the president did not pardon Libby because he respects the hard work of the jury, and his commutation is within the sentencing guidelines. Well, it's nice to know the president respects the system and what other people think. Now perhaps he can start applying that same theory to us when it comes to closing the border and enforcing our existing immigration laws.

On the Libby topic, I still feel Fitzgerald, the prosecutor, should be himself investigated for continuing for years with the supposed CIA leak investigation when he knew within the first two weeks that it was a gossipy Richard Armitage who revealed Valerie Plame's position in the CIA. Despite having the answer he was charged with finding, Fitzgerald continued, and managed, after spending millions of tax-payer dollars and two years, to convict Scooter Libby of remembering a conversation with a reporter differently than the reporter. When it comes to Plame herself, well, you know how I feel.

Yeah, commute the man's sentence. I would even have supported a pardon. Libby deserved better considering he was the fall-guy for a prosecutor who somehow had to justify his two-year persecution of the Bush administration even after knowing that no one on the White House, no one anywhere deliberately or maliciously "outed " Plame. But the president suddenly loves the 'process' so much he wouldn't wipe that man's record clean. Whatever. (UPDATE: The Wwhite House is now making noises that Libby may in fact eventually get a pardon.)

No one in the EM is happy. The NYT and WaPo think Libby is the devil, and the WSJ think the president should have granted a full pardon. The primary problem in this entire affair is the same foundation problem in the Bush admin--a lack of strength and leadership, inside and out. Every nut out there, ranging from out-of-control Special Prosecutors here at home, to tyrants abroad, feel that have carte blanche in doing whatever they please, without any repercussions whatsoever. Without any contradiction. Without being shamed or exposed. The president lacks insight and leadership on serious domestic issues and the war abroad.

At least he had the courage to spare one man 30 months in jail for being dragged into the muck of the asinine chaos of Washington. All the presidential candidates, of course, have an opinion on the matter as well.

Hillary is condemning the commutation of Libby. That woman is a fraud and a hypocrite. Everyone on the left who is complaining about this, go and swim in the muck of Bill Clinton's pardons. The smell of that man's actions alone requires a gas mask.

Posted by Tammy · July 3, 2007 08:18 AM · Permalink · Comments (11)
Crime | Justice/Judiciary | Politics

Supreme Court Rules on School Integration

A post by Maynard

This is a decision that the court, and the nation, will come to regret.
—Justice Stephen Breyer

The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discrimination on the basis of race.
—Chief Justice John Roberts

The hysterical Left may regard the latest Supreme Court ruling as a harbinger of a right-wing dictatorship (in which case it's a good thing we've still got our guns), but the death of democracy is overstated. For a clearer picture, read this evaluation in The Economist. Overall:

Critics will note that this was the fifth case in a week to be decided on the conservative side by the same team of five judges, and will conclude that the Supreme Court under President George Bush's chosen Chief Justice, John Roberts, has tilted decisively to the right. That conclusion would be correct, but the panic should not be over-done. The judgments have mostly been quite narrowly defined, and may not presage any sharper shift: in fact, the truly conservative members of the bench, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, were left disappointed rather than thrilled. Chief Justice Roberts ends his first full legal year in the job with his reputation enhanced for cautious attention to the spirit of the constitution. That said, the days of creative judicial activism on the side of liberal causes is plainly over.

On the whole, I think a cautiously conservative Court is a good Court. Judicial activism, either on the Left or the Right, puts us in the position of being ruled by an unelected and untouchable oligarchy. In recent days we've seen our Senators, with their long terms, thumb their noses at us. It was an ugly situation, but we've reminded them of their accountability. The Supreme Court is accountable to no one.

There's been some controversy regarding George Bush's Court appointments (remember Harriet Miers), but give the man a few points for eventually hitting the right note.

Posted by Maynard · June 29, 2007 03:17 AM · Permalink · Comments (3)
Justice/Judiciary | Maynard Post

Argh! Jury Summons!

A query by Maynard

I'm not a big fan of vacations, which are often more strenuous than so-called "work". Anyway, I (Maynard) returned from a few brief days of misadventuring to find a big fat jury summons staring me in the face. In California these days, it's nigh-impossible for a legitimate law-abiding citizen to avoid a jury summons, no matter how disruptive it might be to your existence.

Is my gripe unreasonable? Shall I shut up and attend to my civic duty as best I can?

Posted by Maynard · June 27, 2007 01:17 PM · Permalink · Comments (6)
Justice/Judiciary | Maynard Post

Paris Hilton Wants Pardon Because She "Enlivens" Your Mundane Life

Paris Hilton: Mugged by Repercussions

Actually, I always viewed her as someone to remind people about what not to become, and how we can all feel better about ourselves for being...ourselves.

Paris 2.0: An online plea for sympathy

Paris Hilton, socialite, sometimes actress, singer, and heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune, is using the Web dig up a get-out-of-jail-free card.

PC World reports that a link to this online petition has been posted to her MySpace page. The petition urges California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon the socialite who was recently sentenced to 45 days in jail for driving with a suspended license. She has been ordered to report to the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, Calif. on June 5.

It's not clear who the source of the petition is, and to describe it as over-the-top would be putting it mildly. A sample of the reasons she should be granted leniency, according to the petition:

--"She provides hope for young people all over the U.S. and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives."

--In addition, she "is notable for her leading roles on the FOX reality series The Simple Life and in the remake of the Vincent Price horror classic "House of Wax".

--And besides, "Paris Hilton did not hurt, injure, or kill anyone or anything."

Nah, actually, she just drove drunk, and then did it again, with a suspended license and her lights off. At night. But nobody got hurt. Actually, I think the internet discussion is getting it right with her real panic at her 45 day jail sentence for violating her DUI probation is that her TV show may have to change its name from "The Simple Life" to "The Simple Lice." Yes, it's awful and just the sort of thing, I'm sure, she thought her 'position' would protect her from.

Just as the outraged British were reminded when President Bush winked at Queen Elizabeth, we aren't anyone's 'subjects' and there are no class lines here to shield the vapid from fairness, honesty and the non-'royal' experience.

Every now and then it would be nice to get proof of that.

Posted by Tammy · May 9, 2007 04:56 PM · Permalink · Comments (12)
Celebrity | Crime | Justice/Judiciary | Social Commentary

Judge Blasts Feds, Throws Out Case Against Anti-Castro Militant

In a remarkable decision, a federal judge issued a stinging rebuke to the federal government's tactics in a case against an anti-Cuban militant. A militant, btw, who was trained by the CIA . The judge went so far as to charge the government with using tactics that "violated the universal sense of justice."

Our nation, btw, is the only one where a judge can make a proclamation like that and not fear for her life.

Judge throws out charges against anti-Castro militant

(CNN) -- A federal judge dropped charges against former CIA operative and anti-Castro Cuban militant Luis Posada Carriles on Tuesday, blasting what she called government "fraud, deceit and trickery" in an interview with Posada that led to the charges. Posada, 79, was charged with seven counts of immigration fraud. He was arrested in Miami in May 2005 after entering the country illegally. [Well, it looks like the Feds can figure out how to prosecute someone on immigration charges when they really want to--ed.]

U.S. district judge Kathleen Cardone ordered Posada's electronic bracelet cut off in the courtroom Tuesday and cleared the way for him to return to Miami a free man..."As with each and every defendant who comes before this court, defendant in this case is entitled to certain rights under the United States Constitution," Cardone wrote in her 38-page ruling. "This court will not set aside such rights nor overlook government misconduct because defendant is a political hot potato. This court's concern is not politics, it is the preservation of criminal justice."...

"In light of the fact that the indictment in this case is based upon statements made during the naturalization interview, this court finds that the interpretation is so inaccurate as to render it unreliable as evidence of defendant's actual statements," she wrote.

"This court finds the government's tactics in this case are so grossly shocking and so outrageous as to violate the universal sense of justice," Cardone wrote. "As a result, this court is left with no choice but to dismiss the indictment."

Posada was jailed for nine years in Venezuela in connection with the airliner attack, but was never convicted and escaped in 1985. In Panama, he was convicted of plotting with three Cuban exiles to kill Castro while the leader was visiting Panama in 2000. [That sort of act is exactly what the CIA trained him for--ed.] He later received a presidential pardon and surfaced in Guatemala and Mexico before heading to the United States.

This is the sort of story that gives steam to the perpetual moonbat argument that our government is corrupt. You know how I feel about government--it should never be trusted, but stories like this should embarrass us all, and do serve as a warning about what an unchecked system is capable of. Fortunately, we have judges who aren't afraid to speak the truth, and a nation where judges can do so without fearing for their lives.

This sort of act, like the jailing of our border agents Ramos and Compean and the apparent political firing s of federal prosecutors, expose an extremely troubling trend in President Bush's administration. It's interesting how Bush seems to allow homeland security elements to run wild, while overseas in the WoT, he refuses to let the Marines do their job and dispatch the enemy. If he wants to apply a no-holds-barred strategy against someone, it should be the enemy abroad, not our own citizens, or a former CIA agent who dares to continue to try to rid this world of a mass murdering dictator.

UPDATE from the webmaster:

The following is posted in Comments from dugsubmisd. This is one of the best arguments why President Bush should continue to be supported despite his mistakes.

Tammy, I appreciate your defense in all that is difficult and refusing to let political games interfere with your commentator. It is what makes you great! However, I differ with your increasing distance from the Bush administration (which you call the Bush Machine). America's founding fathers owned slaves, Lincoln toyed with the idea of colonizing blacks, FDR allied with Stalin, and Reagan allied with Saddam Hussein. But these leaders are remembered for their selfless duties on behalf of freedom and equality, whether it be establishing the world's first democracy in the American Revolution, freeing the slaves, enduring the Great Depression and winning World War II, and freeing the American economy and liberating the world from communist oppression.

And as for George W. his presidency is enduring 30 percent approval ratings because of the Left, who hates Bush more than radical Islam, and tenacious Islamist (both Iranian and al-qaedist) resistance to a democracy in Iraq. So much is at stake in this battle ... democratic government, American credibility, American exceptionalism, victory for al qaeda in Iraq, etc. President Bush needs all the support he can get at this point, not because he is perfect, but because politicians have to deal with an imperfect world and have to choose their fights. Don't go to the point of which you oppose Bush completely because you don't get everything you want and as a result get NOTHING that you want.

ABC Reporter Wants You To Hate and Resent the Falsely Accused

But only if they're white men as in the case of the Duke lacrosse players. Because, after all, they probably deserve it anyway. Terry Moran's reasoning that everyone (White Educated Men of Means) should be punished for crimes they probably committed, now or in the past, imagined, moral, or actual, is virtually identical to what Mao and Stalin argued to justify the "re-education," imprisonment and mass murder of their educated classes.

The fact that ABC News allowed this bile to be published under their banner is astounding. Don Imus got fired for calling a group of people a slur based on their gender, race and perceived station in life. So what will happen when a network news reporter advocates for the mindless hate and resentment of certain victimized people because of their gender, race and station in life? Probably not much, for one reason because the George Soros Gestapo won't target Moran because they probably agree with him.

DON'T FEEL TOO SORRY FOR THE DUKIES

But perhaps the outpouring of sympathy for Reade Seligman, Collin Finnerty and David Evans is just a bit misplaced. They got special treatment in the justice system--both negative and positive. The conduct of the lacrosse team of which they were members was not admirable on the night of the incident, to say the least. And there are so many other victims of prosecutorial misconduct in this country who never get the high-priced legal representation and the high-profile, high-minded vindication that it strikes me as just a bit unseemly to heap praise and sympathy on these particular men....

Moran continues, wanting to make sure you know why it's okay to still hate and resent these guys (which, of course, is your progressive duty to do so), even though they're not only innocent but lied about and targeted by an out-of-control D.A.

So as we rightly cover the vindication of these young men and focus on the genuine ordeal they have endured, let us also remember a few other things:

They were part of a team that collected $800 to purchase the time of two strippers.

Their team specifically requested at least one white stripper.

During the incident, racial epithets were hurled at the strippers.

Colin Finnerty was charged with assault in Washington, DC, in 2005.

The young men were able to retain a battery of top-flight attorneys, investigators and media strategists.

Not only is the idea of creating a list of reasons to justify hating the innocently accused vile enough, but Moran continues the strategy of this entire debacle of making things up or relying on the absurd in an effort to continue the demonization of these men. First, he has no idea who collected the money and paid for the strippers. And remember, up to this point, the women had been described exclusively as "exotic dancers." Now that it's important to smear the players, they're back to hiring "strippers."

And are we supposed to think it's racist to ask for a white stripper? They were hiring dancers--men (and women) have likes and dislikes when it comes to looks, style, ethnicity, hair color, body type, etc. So what that they asked for a white dancer to be included.

The racial epithets accusation is part of the now rejected case based on lies against these men. This entire case, including original accusations such as this have either been recanted or should be rejected entirely because of the lies this entire case was based on.

Yes, Finnerty was arrested on an assault charge somewhere else at some other time. What does that have to do with being railroaded by a rogue D.A. on an entirely different issue?

And as far as the complaint that these men for good legal help, they are also not at least $3 million dollars in debt. And without that help, this travesty would not have been uncovered, and the malevolent freak Nifong, who apparently has no problem with using his office and power to ruin the lives of innocent people, would still be out there doing much the same to people who wouldn't have gotten this sort of attention.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, owe those men and their families a debt of gratitude for defending themselves as aggressively as they did. They saved themselves, and their community from allowing this sort of horrific injustice to continue unabated.

As far as Moran is concerned, let him serve as an example of how obsessed leftists are at maintaining and propagating race hatred and social divisions in this country. God forbid should something happen that puts into question their false race war of whites against blacks and rich against the poor. Moran and the Duke case show us that, in fact, the opposite just may be happening, concocted by the leftist few at the expense of everyone.

« Close It

Posted by Tammy · April 13, 2007 03:39 PM · Permalink · Comments (7)
Death of Right and Wrong | Justice/Judiciary | Leftists | Orwellian

Flashback: Jesse Jackson 1 Year Ago

A historic reminder from Maynard

Here's a FOXNews report from April 15, 2006 about the Duke rape accuser.

It's always interesting to look back and see who got things right from the start and who had it backwards.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Saturday his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition would pay the college tuition of a black woman who alleges white members of the Duke University lacrosse team raped her.

No one has been charged in the case, but the allegations have rocked the community. Jackson has yet to speak with the woman, but said his group pledged to pay for her tuition even if her story proves false.

The woman should be able to support her two children and pay her tuition without having "to sacrifice her body to make money."

The prosecutor has said he believes a crime was committed at the party, citing a medical exam that found the woman's injuries and behavior were consistent with being raped.

Attorneys for the players have said DNA tests failed to connect any players to the attack, and they have urged the prosecutor to drop his investigation. But several defense attorneys say they expect the district attorney to ask a grand jury Monday to indict one or more of the players.

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