US to pursue third trial in alleged Sears Tower plot (Liberty City Seven)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

MIAMI - Federal prosecutors stung twice by deadlocked juries said Wednesday they will make a third attempt to convict six men accused of scheming with al-Qaida to topple Chicago's Sears Tower and bomb FBI offices in several cities.

The decision was announced at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard, who declared a mistrial last week in the second trial because jurors could not agree on any verdicts. The first trial in the "Liberty City Seven" case ended the same way in December, except that a seventh defendant was acquitted.

It was not immediately clear when the third trial would begin. Defense attorneys planned to seek bail for several of the men, who have been in custody since their highly publicized June 2006 arrests.

Prosecutors contend that alleged ringleader Narseal Batiste and the other defendants hoped to conduct terrorist attacks that would start a broader anti-government insurrection. Each of the men faces up to 70 years in prison if convicted of four terrorism-related conspiracy charges.



Read more: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/04/23/ap4925094.html

[Bozita]

1. This is exactly how a dogmatic DOJ goes about its job.

[HuffleClaw]

2. wow

HOW much more of taxpayer dollar will they piss away this time?

and i'd sure like to know what the statistics are regarding how often a THIRD trial is sought after two mistrials. i'm gonna guess never.

[angstlessk]

5. AND the men are in jail in the meantime..

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Guess the plan is to just keep having trials until they either get the verdict they want or

go bankrupt.

[MindPilot]

4. I guess they will keep trying until they put 12 bushbots on the jury

and get a conviction.

BTW isn't there something fundamentally unconstitutional about about keeping someone in jail for their THIRD trial after the first two failed to convict?

[TechBear_Seattle]

10. If a jury deadlocks, then double jeopardy does not apply

A deadlock is when the jury cannot come to an agreement on a verdict. Because double jeopardy applies only with regards to verdicts, if there is no verdict than there is no double jeopardy. Repeated a trial after a jury deadlock is constitutional, and is in fact the standard procedure.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Having failed to kick the duck's ass while standing on a brick. . .

the Bush(league) Administration will now endeavor to do it while standing on a cement block.

:evilfrown:

[Ian David]

7. At least now they'll be able to have a roof over their heads and shoes on their feet. n/t

[endarkenment]

8. This case is bullshit.

They were directed into their absurd plot by a paid FBI informant posing as 'al qaeda'. All of the resources, which were practically non-existent, for this gang of fools were supplied by the FBI. The only good news is that so far the feds have not found 12 other idiots willing to go along with their bullshit. The bad news is that the feds appear to have no shame and are refusing to give up.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

12. "The only good news is that so far the feds have not found 12 other idiots...

...willing to go along with their bullshit."

Exactly.

[Scurrilous]

9. The prosecutors must be getting paid by the trial.

:eyes:

[PSPS]

11. With any luck, they'll get a "kangaroo" conviction just in time for the election!

[Supersedeas]

19. it wouldn't be like 'this' Justice Dept to use prosecutions for political purposes...nooooo

[dlfuller]

13. So if we can not convict Bush the first time.....

Try, try again

[downindixie]

14. Its like when someone keeps playing double or nothing

sooner or later they win and then quit!

[scarletwoman]

15. This is farking ridiculous.

Is there any way that a judge can just tell a Federal prosecutor, "Sorry, you obviously have no case. I refuse to allow you to use my court to try these people again."?

I suppose not -- but for gawdsakes, this is SUCH a pathetic charade!

rec'd,
sw

[Supersedeas]

18. Muck Muck Mukasey style Justice -- how long will it take for the DoJ to get their integrity back?

[scarletwoman]

20. Depends on how soon the Revolution comes.

:evilgrin:

sw

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. The regime is THAT desperate

for a terror conviction?

but they let bin Laden escape.....repeatedly?

and they keep killing the " #2 Al-Quada" guy ...repeatedly?

ok...so maybe repititon is a hallmark for them.

I call it insanity.

sorry for any typos..hard to hit keyes in this straight jacket.

[MisterP]

17. oh come on, Mindszenty got a fairer damn trial! n/t

[happyslug]

21. Give a site for someone like Mindszenty, most people don't remember his name or case.

More on Cardinal Bishop Mindszenty:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3zsef_Mindszenty

Through the Soviet Show trials of the late 1930s were of the same level of "Fairness":

More on the Show Trials:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Trials