Category: General

Judges can still punish acquitted defendants – Los Angeles Times
By David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court declined Monday to reconsider a legal rule that might surprise most Americans: Judges can punish defendants for certain crimes even after a jury has acquitted them of those charges.

In recent years, the justices have described the right to jury trial as one of the bedrock principles of American law. At the same time, they have been unwilling to say that a jurys not-guilty verdict on some charges means the defendant cannot be punished. Instead, the court has said judges may take into account “acquitted conduct” when they decide on a prison term.

The case of Mark Hurn of Madison, Wis., provides a stark example of the rule.

Hurn was given an additional 15 years in prison for possessing crack cocaine, even though a jury acquitted him of the charge. He was convicted of having powder cocaine in his house, a charge that would warrant between two and three years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.

But he was sentenced to nearly 18 years in prison, as though he had been convicted on both counts.

[Read the whole story at the link above.]

“Innocent until proven guilty”, meet “Sentenced either way”. Is this that “Frontier Justice” that Bush promised us?

-Chris

[ad#adsense-horizontal]

Taxpayers would get checks under economic stimulus plan – CNN.com
WASHINGTON (CNN) — U.S. taxpayers would get checks of several hundred dollars from the federal government under a plan to stimulate the economy, congressional and Bush administration officials said Thursday.
art.pelosi.cnn.jpg

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, right, and House Minority Leader John Boehner announce the package Thursday.

“Tens of millions Americans will have a check in the mail,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said at a Capitol Hill news conference. “It is there to strengthen the middle class, to create jobs and to turn this economy around.”

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said, “I’m looking for quick action in the House. I hope that the Senate will follow quickly so that we can put this money in the hands of middle-income Americans as soon as possible.”

Speaking a few minutes later at the White House, President Bush said the package will “boost our economy and encourage job creation.”

Sources on Capitol Hill and at the Treasury Department said the plan would send checks of $600 to individuals and $1,200 to couples who paid income tax and who filed jointly.

B-U-L-L S-H-I-T

The government is tossing some people, not everyone, a couple of biscuits and hoping it distracts them from the financial ruin that is nipping at the heals of a government that has recklessly led us to an illegal war and doesn’t have the fortitude to admit a mistake and end the stupidity.

An article in The Chronicle indicated this is a $150B stimulus package. Well, folks, over the last three years our ‘leaders’ have built up a $734B budget deficit, and consumer debt is at all time high of $12.8 Trillion. I sincerely doubt that a $600 check from Uncle Sam is going to make it all better. In case it hasn’t occurred to the public, where do you think Uncle Sam is getting the money in the first place? Why, from the people! Tax people to hell, then give them back a few bucks to make them feel better. Only the fools are fooled.

Don’t forget: The Democrats are backing this stupid plan as well.

Vote Ron Paul. He’s got more brains and more backbone than all the Democrats and Republicans combined! (No insult intended to Mike Gravel, he’s a strong person as well.)

[ad#adsense-horizontal]