Many have objected that the Casey Anthony trial and verdict has displaced attention to every thing from three wars to a growing economic crisis. Now, however, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested that the impact of the Anthony verdict may extend to national security trials and serve as an excuse to deny terrorism defendants a federal trial. McConnell stated that the verdict shows that we cannot trust our court system in trying terrorism suspects. The clear import is that we should use the widely ridiculed military tribunal system because we cannot risk defendants actually prevailing in court.
McConnell stated:
“These are not American citizens. We just found with the Caylee Anthony case how difficult it is to get a conviction in a U.S. court. I don’t think a foreigner is entitled to all the protection in the Bill of Rights. They should not be in U.S. courts and before military commissions.”
The quote seems to confirm for civil libertarians the obvious: the tribunal system was designed by prosecutors for the sole purpose of guaranteeing convictions by stripping away basic legal protections and procedures.
Next we will explore the impact of the Anthony verdict on space exploration and drilling in the outer banks.
Source: Fox
From the beginning the resistance to normal trials seemed to me to be covering up for a lack of evidence in many cases. This was a coverup of the Bush/Cheney Administration’s stupidity and disregard for lawful conduct. The solution should have been impeachment but the
courage was lacking. The Obama Administration has followed suit because of its own lack of political courage. These actions have endangered our Republic.
McConnel’s just another sycophant pandering to the rubes at the behest of the Washington power and wealth elite. He doesn’t believe in the least the crap he constantly spews…he’s just another low grade snake oil huckster wrapping himself in the flag.
I cannot believe how unbelievably stupid McConnell is ….either that or he is just plain evil and dedicated to the total overthrow of liberty. I can imagine Mitchie-boy walking down the street and finding a bit of cheese on the ground, picking it up and showing it off as proof that the moon is indeed made of green cheese. He really wants the fix to be in. God save us.
Mike Appleton,
Based upon his past performances, I’m sure Mitch won’t let facts like conviction statistics stand in the way of him saying anything else stupid.
Robert L. Shapiro had an interesting read in the LA Times recently regarding the Anthony trial.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-shapiro-caylee-anthony-20110709,0,4550760.story
Having watched with incredulous amazement the electoral success of Mitch from his humble beginnings as County Judge (not a judicial office) of Jefferson County, KY, you may rest assured that the only rights which he will defend to the death are the rights of legal persons (corporations) to maximize their profits free from government interference, while themselves having unlimited access to the members of each and every legislature in this land. I’m sure the position he’s taken on this matter must have something to do with making it harder to hold corporations accountable in our courts of law. It’s really his entire purpose in Washington.
HenMan:
I think perhaps Georgia is stockpiling them for agricultural uses.
“He blowed up good.”
“He blowed up REAL good!”
Mike and Mike-
In this time of deep recession and growing poverty, the one thing we have an excess of is people in prison. I sometimes wonder if they are being stockpiled for future corporate use as free labor when the Republicans gain the Presidency and both Houses of Congress. I’m sure the CEO’s drool every time they think about it. I’m also sure that the deficit as a Republican political issue will disappear if that happens and it will be back to spend, spend, cut taxes, and spend some more. Lots of bad furriners we haven’t blowed up yet. Right, Mitch?
Mike A., What do you mean “review some conviction statistics”? It’s not like we have the highest number of incarcerated people in the world or anything… oh, wait… never mind 🙂
Mitch “Making Obama A One-Term President Is [still] My Single Most Important Political Goal” McConnell; what a dangerous idiot.
“he might wish to review some conviction statistics.”
Thank you Mike,
Vinnie Politan of HLN, former Prosecutor whose father was a judge, stated over and over how hard it was to be a prosecutor and prove a case. Really?
That was a stretch, even for Sen. McConnell. The Casey verdict is nothing more than a cautionary tale on the dangers of overcharging. And before he makes another stupid comment about the legal system, he might wish to review some conviction statistics.
This was a WTF moment, when the Senate Minority Leader displays lack of faith in one of the foundations of our legal system. The Republican Party has either moved into the Twilight Zone, or has been there all along under
the cover of stealth. I agree with HenMan’s warning, we live in a time when the nation is trying to walk a badly shaking tightrope, with the abyss below and vertigo threatening.
Of Course Mitch…..Until they they come for you….Then its not such a good ideal….Just ask Alice…..
Be afraid. Be very afraid. It’s coming. It’s only a matter of time.
“Why wait for a judge? We’ve got a rope! What are we waiting for? We know what to do! Follow me!”
Be afraid. Be very afraid. It’s coming. It’s only a matter of time.
Senator Nancy Grace.
So that means we can now just issue writs of guilt? I am OK with this as long as I am the one issuing the writs.
Sen McConnell, I hereby find you guilty of being gay & sentence you to a Christian ‘rehabilitation’ camp until such time as you admit your guilt and are certified ‘cured’
The jury trial is the cornerstone of our legal system because it provides some protection from the state and apparently even popular opinion. What ever the merits of the casey anthony case the jury decided not guilty. We should not throw out jury trials just because some results don’t sit well with either the state or popular opinion, that is the very point of jury trials which is why there are so many mechanisms to ensure undue influence is kept at bay.
I am even now more convinced of alien life. No person raised on this planet could possibly come up with that line. I bet if we look beneath most of these Republicon’s skin, we’ll see deep green and a transponder beaming back to the mother ship.
Was it Lewis Carroll’s Red Queen that said, “Verdict first, trial second”, or words to that effect?
This just goes to show that, judging from the “debates” our politicians are having that we are way, way, down the rabbit hole.
McConnell has yet to explain how nations such as Great Britain, Spain, India and Inonesia can hold civilian terror trials with no ill-effects. These right-wing-tough-guys are pathetic.