Ex-Bush Lawyer Convicted Of Trying To Kill Wife

[DonViejo]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASSOCIATED PRESS – JULY 12, 2014, 5:59 PM EDT

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — A former White House lawyer in both Bush administrations was convicted Friday of attempted murder and other charges in the beating of his wife at their Connecticut home four years ago.

John Michael Farren, 61, who also was once general counsel for Xerox Corp., was allowed to sit out his trial after he said he wouldn't be able to handle the stress of it. But he was in the courtroom Friday when the jury returned guilty verdicts on charges of attempted murder, first-degree assault and risk of injury to a child.

Prosecutors allege Farren choked Mary Margaret Farren and beat her with a metal flashlight until she lost consciousness at their multimillion dollar home in New Canaan in January 2010. She managed to flee the house with her two young daughters. The attack occurred two days after she served him with divorce papers, authorities say.

Farren disputed the seriousness of the charges. He also tried to use a mental health defense, but a judge didn't allow it. He faces up to 50 years in prison at his sentencing, set for Sept. 11.

-snip-

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/john-michael-farren-convicted-attempted-murder

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Did Mrs. Chenney ever hunt with the DICK ?

[DeSwiss]

2. J. Michael Farren

In April 2013, Farren was granted permission to act as his own lawyer and to put forth an insanity defense. After a five day Connecticut jury trial in December 2013, Farren was ordered by the jury to pay his ex-wife $28.6 million in damages for attempting to kill her. The jurors deliberated for only 90 minutes before holding Farren liable. link

K&R

[navarth]

3. You had me at 'ex-bu$h lawyer'

throw away the key.

[ailsagirl]

4. Nice guy

Why am I not surprised?

[freshwest]

5. ...choked... and beat her with a metal flashlight until she lost consciousness... What a sweetheart!

Hope he does time, but seriously doubt it...

Judge said du Pont heir 'will not fare well' in prison - gives him probation for rape of 3 yr old

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024753914

Sure this guy will be judged too old to do time, but was strong enough to beat her unconscious...

Or the judge will say that he wouldn't 'fare well in prison,' either.

[Ino]

6. More compassionate conservative family values at work! (nt)

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. HE wouldn't be able to handle the stress of a trial?????? Poor baby.

What about HER stress?

[arikara]

8. I never heard of somebody

being allowed to miss their trial because it is too stressful. Isn't that the nature of the beast? And if he was acting as his own lawyer, wouldn't he have to be there?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. "The attack occurred two days after she served him with divorce papers"

Wanna piss off a Right Winger to the point of homicidal rage?

Go after their stuff.

[PeoViejo]

16. I bet his Lawyers didn't represent him as a professional courtesy.

That bill will stress him too.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. They think of money as their "get out of jail free" card. It's their PROPERTY they covet.

[catbyte]

10. Christ on a cracker. The 2 systems of justice in this country is despicable.

At least the jury convicted his abusive ass. Now, will the oh-so-accommodating judge allow him to sit out his sentence at home? If he even gets prison time.

[Shoonra]

11. Ferren's best hope ......

Ferren will probably, at age 61, get something like 15-20 years.

His best hope of avoiding most of that depends on what's in his head: A US Attorney appointed by Obama may be very grateful if Ferren can reveal stuff that will trash the Republicans including Death Valley Ronnie, and shuts up various loudmouth bozos like Dick 'the Prick' Cheney. It helps if there's something there that can get an indictment, but even just humiliating them counts for something.

Next best is maybe stalling his imprisonment with an appeal, hoping for a Republican President being elected in 2016 and then hoping that this Republican President gives enough of a rat's rump to grant Ferren a pardon. For this, Ferren must demonstrate (as some others did) omerta, but if a Republican isn't elected in 2016 or it turns out to be a Republican whose people have no ties to people in either Bush administration, then all he's got is stale information of no interest to a US Attorney appointed by a Republican. But Ferren might be able to keep himself in chocolate bars by selling stories, one at a time, to various journalists looking to rake up old scandals.

In the meantime, even now, there are people left from the last 3 Republican presidents who know that Ferren knows too much. Anyone who watched OZ has a fairly good idea of what can happen next.

[hughee99]

17. And who doesn't support a justice department that's willing to give a guy a leinent sentence

after trying to kill his wife in exchange for information that has POLITICAL value. If this is how Obama appointees operate, then maybe they're actually on to something with their IRS investigation (and no, I don't think they are).

[Unmenacing Dennis]

12. Choose a non-threatening target and smash it

I'm surprised W didn't tap this guy for SecDef.

[SkatmanRoth]

13. It seems everything about the Bush Administration is criminal. n/t

[olddad56]

15. especially 9 -11

[Scarsdale]

14. Wow

Proof positive that $$$ cannot buy happiness. What happened to his former wife (wives) if he is 61 with young children?

[geretogo]

18. Was this before or after praying to Jesus .

[Grins]

20. Flashlight? Where was his gun?

What kind of pure-bred, NRA-lovin' Reich-winger doesn't shoot his way out of divorce?