Posted on 10/11/2011 1:29:04 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
Detroit (CNN) -- The judge in the federal trial of alleged "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab refused Tuesday to prevent the prosecution from calling the device he allegedly carried a "bomb."
U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds also refused to exclude a photo of AbdulMutallab's burned genitals from the evidence.
Before the prosecution began its opening statement, defense standby counsel Anthony Chambers asked that the prosecutors not be allowed to use the words "explosive device" or "bomb" during the trial. It's up to the jury to decide whether the device AbdulMutallab was carrying was a bomb, Chambers argued.
"I'm going to deny that motion," responded Edmunds. "It makes no sense whatsoever."
As for the photo, the judge said it did not seem "unusually prejudicial."
AbdulMutallab, accused of trying to detonate an explosive device in his underwear aboard a Christmas 2009 flight to Detroit, has said he will represent himself.
~snip~
When a flight attendant asked him what he had in his pockets, he called it "an explosive device," Tukel said.
Tukel added that AbdulMutallab was very verbal and spoke with many people, including some on the flight and officials once the flight landed.
The prosecution also called its first witness Tuesday, Michael Zantow, who was on the flight one row behind AbdulMutallab. Zantow, a 20-year veteran of the Army, was among those who tried to restrain the defendant.
Within a minute of the loud sound on the plane, a passenger said to AbdulMutallab, "Hey man, your pants are on fire!" Zantow testified. The passenger repeated himself two or three times, and AbdulMutallab did not respond, Zantow said.
The jury is made up of three white men and nine women -- six white, two African-American and one Southeast Asian.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
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Just exactly how does one respond when on a plane - a bomb has gone off in your pants - and people are screaming "Hey man, your pants are on fire!"
Pinging the experts RE: this question:
Just exactly how does one respond when on a plane - a bomb has gone off in your pants - and people are screaming “Hey man, your pants are on fire!”
What?
This judge is encumbered by an inordinate amount of common sense.
Helpful people are helpful.
An old quote:
“A man who defends himself in court has a fool for a lawyer.”
Why is he in a Federal Court?
I'm confused... Are the two Africans the only American citizens on the jury? Do we now have Southeast Asians on American juries (Do they still get 10 cents per mile for travel)? And how about the whites (the only group NOT to be capitalized - for some strange reason), what is their nationality? This situation is SO mixed-up!
"Not a problem - they were on fire when I put them on !"
Seems to me that the defense was reaching by saying that the jury would be the ones to decide whether it was a bomb. The jury is there to determine his guilt or innocence on the charges; it is FACT that he had an “explosive device” (AKA BOMB). Thank goodness for sanity by the judge.
“A man who defends himself in court has a fool for a lawyer.”
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I had always heard he had a fool for a client. But I guess its the same difference.
There goes the "What device?" defense.
I noticed they did not charge his with attempted murder. I missed it.
Can he get the death penalty? Does anyone know?
From your link....
“I even saw him when he lit his fake bomb and his crotch was burning and he never makes a peep.”
I must say; this wack-job must have ice water running through his you-know-what.
If my crotch was on fire - you can be dang sure the whole dang plane would know it.
What do you do when your Hot Pants catch on fire?
You turn on your Panty hose.
Not that I would put a bomb in my pants, but if my pants are on fire, I'm going to be wanting that coke or water you were nursing hoping to make last for the rest of the flight. You can keep your 151 Bacardi, I don't want that.
As apposed to Gitmo? I think he should be tried as a terrorist/war criminal, not a civilian criminal. He should also be beheaded have his body fed to pigs live on Al Zajeera immediately following the military tribunal at Gitmo.
Your Honor, if a man’s pants are literally on fire it is prima facie evidence that he is LYING!
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