Government says it will seek death penalty in attempted espionage case

Associated Press ^ | 4-19-02 | TED BRIDIS

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Government lawyers told a federal judge Friday they intend to seek the death penalty if they win a criminal conviction against a retired Air Force master sergeant on charges he tried to spy for Iraq, Libya and China.

[JRandomFreeper]

I'd pull the lever that drops him in to the everafter. I despise traitors.

/john

[Oldeconomybuyer]

14:39 PDT (AP) -- U.S. Attorney Paul J. McNulty accused Regan in court papers of "exceptional planning and premeditation" in plotting his espionage. Prosecutors said Regan apparently used a form letter to solicit money from at least two foreign countries.

McNulty also accused Regan of using the threat of the death penalty as a "marketing tool" when he demanded $13 million in Swiss currency from Saddam. Investigators said Regan told Hussein in a letter, "If I am caught, I will be imprisoned for the rest of my life, if not executed for this deed."

Authorities said that a debt-ridden Regan hoped to strike a bargain with Saddam, allegedly writing that his payment demand was a "small price" compared with the salaries of movie stars and athletes.

[Dog Gone]

Investigators said Regan told Hussein in a letter, "If I am caught, I will be imprisoned for the rest of my life, if not executed for this deed."

Hmmm, well, he has an uncanny knack for predicting the future.

[yikes]

I wonder if the "accident" that resulted in the deaths of four Canadian soldiers was the work of some turncoat.

[stumpy]

How come they didn't seek the death penalty for the walker family of spies? Got lots killed in Viet Nam.

[blau993]

Prosecutors use the threat of the death penalty in spy cases to coerce a deal. They want the cooperation of the spy to do damage control. They need to know what he has told the other side. Walker had told lots for a long time, and they knew it. They needed his cooperation.

This doofus, on the other hand, may actually have something to worry about. If I remeber the circumstances of his arrest, he had not actually passed any information. That means he has nothing to trade. Not a good bargaining position (not that that concerns me a lot).

[Rule of Law]

he tried to spy for Iraq, Libya and China.

In spying for Red China, he was only following Clinton's lead. Clinton actually sold them secrets that allow them to target our cities with nukes.

It's about time they charged him too.

[Paleo Conservative]

I'd pull the lever that drops him in to the everafter. I despise traitors.

Unfortunately the method of execution would be lethal injection. If it were up to me he'd be injected with battery acid, not barbiturates.

[watcher1]

I despise traitors.

Me too. Ain't nothin worse

[LouD]

About time we start executing traitors...

Too bad we can't do the same with Ames, Walker, et al.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Yeah! While they're at it, re-sentence Robert Hanssen.

[P8riot]

Hanging is good, and economical. You can re-use the rope a couple more times.

[William Tell]

In my book, this guy's actions deserve most of the attention given to Lindh.

Charges of treason won't work, because we are still allowing ourselves to be wishy-washy with respect to who our "enemies" are. However, providing military intelligence to foreign powers without government consent poses a real threat to us all and I would be surprised if it isn't prohibited.

But even in this case, the accused is to be afforded all of the protections guaranteed to us all. We all benefit from insisting on due process regardless of the seriousness of the accusation.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Charges of treason won't work, because we are still allowing ourselves to be wishy-washy with respect to who our "enemies" are.

Yep, it's pretty sad. The only way that we'll ever stop this is through good moral teachings and extreme penalties for the offenders.

[montag813]

Too bad Hanssen and Pollard won't be joining him.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Hanging is good, and economical. You can re-use the rope a couple more times.

A rope has to be manufactured. Why not use what's just laying around? Like stones. I think the ancients had it about right...

[rbmillerjr]

Ive been writing letter to the editor that we need to start using the death penalty for these treacherous scum for 2 decades,,,,,,,finally a prosecutor with some old time religion,,,,,,,,,,it will be THE deterrent

[TLBSHOW]

Is this about Clinton and what he did against America to help China?

[Bonaparte]

" Hanging is good, and economical. You can re-use the rope a couple more times."

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