Still Hating America.

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
ummm, 3 people thought she was improperly convicted. at least 12 believed her guilty.

So some good prosecutor apparently snowed a jury into overlooking a near complete absence of evidence for a critical element in the case -- probably on the "you all know how it works" or "you all know what happened" theories.

The judge may or may not have been snowed -- could have thought there was just enough there to let it "go to the jury."

It happens. I almost got away with it myself once as a young lad. The fact of conviction in and of itself doesn't mean too much. You have to look at the record.

S_A_M

[SlaveNoMore]

Hank Chinaski
ummm, 3 people thought she was improperly convicted. at least 12 believed her guilty.

I find it odd that no one seems bothered that the political donor merely got the lucrative contract, given all the lefty harping about Halliburton, et al. being improper per se.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Secret_Agent_Man
So some good prosecutor apparently snowed a jury into overlooking a near complete absence of evidence for a critical element in the case -- probably on the "you all know how it works" or "you all know what happened" theories.

The judge may or may not have been snowed -- could have thought there was just enough there to let it "go to the jury."

It happens. I almost got away with it myself once as a young lad. The fact of conviction in and of itself doesn't mean too much. You have to look at the record.

S_A_M

Two and a half years ago I had a plaintiff's case thrown out on SJ. A year and a half ago the Federal Circuit reinstated half of it. a year ago I won a jury trial. We settled moving to the damages phase- my calculated chance of winning on willful infringement? about zero. a judge found the D's were correct in thinking they didn't infringe.

Point is, the fact of the conviction makes this a pointless case for Ty to bring up to show anything bad happened. convictions may get overturned, but the fact of the conviction is a safe harbor against any slings and arrow you want to throw at the prosecution.

[Adder]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I find it odd that no one seems bothered that the political donor merely got the lucrative contract, given all the lefty harping about Halliburton, et al. being improper per se.

Was it a no-bid contract? Doesn't sounds like it.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
I find it odd that no one seems bothered that the political donor merely got the lucrative contract, given all the lefty harping about Halliburton, et al. being improper per se.

I find it odd that you do not seem bothered about US Attorneys Offices being turned into instruments of political persecution. I trust it will not bother you in a couple of years when Worsethannixon and his party are out of office.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
I find it odd that you do not seem bothered about US Attorneys Offices being turned into instruments of political persecution. I trust it will not bother you in a couple of years when Worsethannixon and his party are out of office.

you need help.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
you need help.

Indeed. Thank God for congressional subpeona power.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
Indeed. Thank God for congressional subpeona power.

that's funny! Ty was bringing up examples of stuff that he feels are investigations that are improper and only brought up for political reasons and you mention the congressional shit going on. heh.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
that's funny! Ty was bringing up examples of stuff that he feels are investigations that are improper and only brought up for political reasons and you mention the congressional shit going on. heh.

I guess we were just supposed to let the DOJ investigate itself. heh.

[Adder]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
I guess we were just supposed to let the DOJ investigate itself. heh.

No, I think Hank is saying that any wrongdoing cannot be investigated if the motivation for investigating is in any way political. So everyone just gets a free pass.

.

[Secret_Agent_Man]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
Point is, the fact of the conviction makes this a pointless case for Ty to bring up to show anything bad happened. convictions may get overturned, but the fact of the conviction is a safe harbor against any slings and arrow you want to throw at the prosecution.

I think that's basically true -- like in civil cases where survival past summary judgment sort of innoculates your client against claims of malicious prosecution.

Though (as Ty points out) that doesn't stop the slings and arrows flying from the Right on other recent cases leading to pleas or convictions. It is still possible to question whether the case should have been brought.

S_A_M

[SlaveNoMore]

by Adder
Was it a no-bid contract? Doesn't sounds like it.

No, it sounds like

A) a fat-cat donates a lot of money to the Governor

B) Said fat-cat thereafter wins a lucrative bid

C) Someone thinks enough of it to bring charges of corruption, which then leads to a successful conviction - overturned on appeal.

If said Governor was a Republican, there is no doubt whatsoever that Ty would be posting 18 links to Crooked Timber about the "government for sale", Wonk would nearly pop an artery bellowing "assholes" at the top of his lungs, Shifter would suggest the whole lot of them be "tortured", and I'd sit back and laugh at the daily hypocricy of all of you.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
No, it sounds like

A) a fat-cat donates a lot of money to the Governor

B) Said fat-cat thereafter wins a lucrative bid

C) Someone thinks enough of it to bring charges of corruption, which then leads to a successful conviction - overturned on appeal.

If said Governor was a Republican, there is no doubt whatsoever that Ty would be posting 18 links to Crooked Timber about the "government for sale", Wonk would nearly pop an artery bellowing "assholes" at the top of his lungs, Shifter would suggest the whole lot of them be "tortured", and I'd sit back and laugh at the daily hypocricy of all of you.

You've got to be kidding. Corruption has run so rampant through the Republic Party that penny-ante shit like that wouldn't even raise eyebrows.

[Adder]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
No, it sounds like

A) a fat-cat donates a lot of money to the Governor

B) Said fat-cat thereafter wins a lucrative bid

C) Someone thinks enough of it to bring charges of corruption, which then leads to a successful conviction - overturned on appeal.

If said Governor was a Republican, there is no doubt whatsoever that Ty would be posting 18 links to Crooked Timber about the "government for sale", Wonk would nearly pop an artery bellowing "assholes" at the top of his lungs, Shifter would suggest the whole lot of them be "tortured", and I'd sit back and laugh at the daily hypocricy of all of you.

You really do think that the hypocricy of politics is a one sided coin, eh? Amazing.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Adder
You really do think that the hypocricy of politics is a one sided coin, eh? Amazing.

HYPOCRISY