Senior Administration Official Defends Ghailani Trial, Verdict

ABC News ^ | 11/18/2010 | Jake Tapper

[Qbert]

Though some critics and observers are suggesting the Ghailani verdict -- he was acquited of all but one of more than 280 charges -- weakens the president's call for civilian criminal trials for Guantanamo detainees, a senior administration official pushes back:

"He was convicted by a jury of a count which carries a 20-year minimum sentence," the official says. "He will very likely be sentenced to something closer to life. (The judge can, and very likely will, take into account things that the jury did not, and he can and will consider conduct that the jury found him not guilty of -- e.g., murder). He will never be paroled (there is no parole in the federal system). There are very few federal crimes that carry a mandatory MINIMUM of 20 years. What that means is that he was convicted of a crime that is a very big deal."

[Snip]

"Would it have been better optically if he had been convicted of more counts? Sure. Would it have made any practical difference? No."

[Qbert]

"He was convicted by a jury of a count which carries a 20-year minimum sentence," the official says.

-So, basically, all you would-be Jihadists out there: next time, use teenagers. They can accomplish their mission, and probably be out by their mid-Thirties. We're not going to do anything to stop you...

[OldDeckHand]

Interesting that the "Senior Administration Official" will defend the jury verdict, but will only do so anonymously. That speaks volumes, IMHO.

[Lurking Libertarian]

-So, basically, all you would-be Jihadists out there: next time, use teenagers. They can accomplish their mission, and probably be out by their mid-Thirties. We're not going to do anything to stop you...

20 years is the minimum; the judge can sentence him to life without parole.

[The Sons of Liberty]

"He was convicted by a jury of a count which carries a 20-year minimum sentence,"

I wish Harry Callahan had been the one to catch him.

Maybe he'll be shot while attempting to escape ....

[Qbert]

“20 years is the minimum; the judge can sentence him to life without parole.”

I know.

But what if the judge doesn’t?

[Ann Archy]

What an IDIOTIC JURY!!! They convicted him of CONSPIRACY to commit the crime, but couldn’t find it in their little PEA BRAINS to find him guilty of DOING the crime??? Idiots. HOLDER and Obama have to go....they are going to get us ALL KILLED.

[a fool in paradise]

He’s going to find things were better at Gitmo. This is not a defense of his weak conviction.

[pikachu]

And do not forget time off for good behavior. This guy could be out ten minutes after the judge apologizes to him.

[keat]

If he gets 20 with timed served, he’s out in 14.

[ScottinVA]

"He will very likely be sentenced to something closer to life."

Really, Mr. unnamed official? You can assure that..how?

[allmendream]

The jury did what they could do within the law. Evidence was suppressed in the civilian trial (evidence gained via interrogation that was called torture) that most likely would not have been suppressed in a military trial.

[Doogle]

ABC’s contact, senior administration official, is probably some lower level Moochelle’s shoe polisher.......Dan Rather.

[a fool in paradise]

Don’t ask, don’t tell.

It’s not like trying to find out who “leaked” Valerie Plame’s lame name.

[Ann Archy]

Sorry, but people have to have some COMMONSENSE on stuff like this!!

[wideawake]

Would it have been better optically

It's a good thing I wasn't in the room when he said that.

I would be the one facing 20 years.

[ScottinVA]

What an IDIOTIC JURY!!! They convicted him of CONSPIRACY to commit the crime, but couldn’t find it in their little PEA BRAINS to find him guilty of DOING the crime??? Idiots. HOLDER and Obama have to go....they are going to get us ALL KILLED.

Before I blame the jury, I'm interested in knowing what was the rationale of barring the prosecution witness from testifying, and wasn't some evidence barred as well?

[allmendream]

Hard to make a judgment on evidence you didn’t see. How about that for commonsense?

[a fool in paradise]

He's convicted of conspiracy to destroy some buildings.

"he hates these CANS"

The people in the buildings were just a "coincidence".

That argument didn't fly for Timothy McVeigh.

[wideawake]

What an IDIOTIC JURY!!!

The jury were not allowed to see over 90% of the evidence against this mass murderer.

The idiots are Eric Holder and his boss Barack Obama, who deliberately brought an individual who murdered 224 people to a trial where most of the damning evidence against him was inadmissible.

If the jury is truly the focus of your ire, you shouldn't be calling anyone an idiot.

[Roccus]

I’m thinkin’ this, more so than the jury, is the reason

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/2-international-news/4650-judge-reject-witness-in-ghailani-terror-trial.html