[RoyalHighlander]

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe
and tried to light it? His trial is over. How much of this Judge's
comments did you hear on TV? Everyone should hear what the judge
had to say. This is worthy of your time. The real eye opener is
that the News did not report anything on it.


US District Court Judge William Young statement in sentencing "shoe
bomber" Richard Reid
---------------------

JUDGE WILLIAM YOUNG, SENTENCES THE SHOE BOMBER

US District Court Judge William Young made the following statement
in sentencing "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to prison. It is
noteworthy, and deserves to be remembered far longer than he
predicts. I commend it to you and anyone you might wish to forward
it to.
(I hope you will read every word! Pray for more judges like this
one.)


"January 30, 2003, United States vs.. Reid.

Judge Young: "Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the
Court imposes upon you.

"On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in
the custody of the United States Attorney General.

"On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in
prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive
with the other.

"That's 80 years.

"On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years
consecutive to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon
you each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate
fine of $2 million.

"The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to
restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre
Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.

"The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.

"The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply
because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life
sentences so I need go no further.

"This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a
fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence.

"Let me explain this to you: We are not afraid of any of your
terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been
through the fire before.

"There is all too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone
with the utmost respect. Here in this court, where we deal with
individuals as individuals, and care for individuals as individuals,
as human beings we reach out for justice, you are not an enemy
combatant.

"You are a terrorist.

"You are not a soldier in any war.

"You are a terrorist.

"To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far
too much stature.

"Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney
who does it, or that happens to be your view,

"You are a terrorist.And we do not negotiate with terrorists.

"We do not sign documents with terrorists.

"We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice. So war talk
is way out of line in this court.

"You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior.
I know warriors. You are a terrorist.

"A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders.

"In a very real sense Trooper Santiago had it right when you first
were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where
the press and where the TV crews were and he said you're no big
deal.

"You are no big deal.

"What your able counsel and what the equally able United States
attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know
how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific.

"What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?

"I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I asked
you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable
hate led you to do what you are guilty, and admit you are guilty of
doing.

"And I have an answer for you..

"It may not satisfy you. But as I search this entire record it comes
as close to understanding as I know. It seems to me you hate the one
thing that is most precious: You hate our freedom.

"Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we
choose, to come and go as we choose, and to believe or not believe
as we individually choose.

"Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it
everywhere from sea to shining sea.

"It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here
in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see,
that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.

"It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so
vigorously on your behalf, have filed appeals, and will go on in
their representation of you before other judges.

"We are about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr.
Reid, is the measure of our own liberties.

"Make no mistake though: It is yet true that we will bear any
burden, pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.

"Look around this courtroom. Mark it well.

"The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day
after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this, however, will long
endure. Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America,
the American people will gather to see that justice, individual
justice.. Justice, not war. Individual justice is in fact being
done.

"The very President of the United States through his officers will
have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific
matters can be judged. And juries of citizens will gather to sit and
judge that evidence democratically - to mold and shape and refine
our sense of justice.

"See that flag Mr. Reid?

"That is the flag of the United States of America.

"That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That
flag stands for freedom. It always will.

"Custody, Mr. Officer. Stand him down."


How much of this Judge's comments did you hear on our TV sets?
ZERO!

[Mukluk]

Good read. A little too much flag waving for me, but good nonetheless given who it was addressed to.

I don't understand what you are getting at about not seeing it in the news...

m

[feeko]

as someone who addmitted he was part of al-queda....dressed in civilian cloths, targeting civilians....he should be hanged....no life for this shitbag.......He will I am sure have a nice stay in the pokey

[othello]

The most important piece in all of that was near the end...

$1:

The very President of the United States through his officers will
have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific
matters can be judged. And juries of citizens will gather to sit and
judge that evidence democratically - to mold and shape and refine
our sense of justice.

This is what it should all be about. Everyone should gain a fair trial. It may not be open to the public, for national security reasons, but they should have defense counsel, a jury, and a fair and impartial process.

I worry that, with the fear mongering of the current administration, they will continue to seek ways to avoid the judicial system.

[Robair]

JUDGE WILLIAM YOUNG for president!

I'd vote for him! Y'know, if I was an american that is. pretty freakin' cool.