Moussaoui Trial Verdict

[UndercoverGator]

I've yet to hear anyone mention here their thoughts on the guilt or innocence of Moussaoui. Are you happy about the verdict? Feel like he should have gotten death? Or even know who he is or what other trials like the Sniper trial are taking place because you're too busy watching Lindsay Lohan and her ilk?

Moussaoui Formally Sentenced to Life in Prison

By Jerry Markon, Timothy Dwyer and William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, May 4, 2006; 12:00 PM

A federal judge today formally sentenced al-Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui to life in prison without parole for his part in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist plot, after he confronted the judge and 9/11 family members in vitriolic exchanges in which he warned that al-Qaeda will strike again and praised Osama bin Laden.

"God curse America," a defiant Moussaoui said in a loud voice on the witness stand when given a chance to speak at the sentencing. "And God save Osama bin Laden. You will never get him."

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema ended the session by telling Moussaoui he would "die with a whimper" without ever speaking publicly again.

Brinkema handed down the sentence, dispatching Moussaoui to a federal super-maximum security penitentiary a day after the jury ended a four-year federal quest to secure the death penalty for the only person convicted of involvement in the deadliest terrorist strike on U.S. soil.

Before allowing Moussaoui to address the court, Brinkema asked a few of the Sept. 11 family members if they wanted to speak. Rosemary Dillard, who lost her husband in the attacks, told Moussaoui that he had wrecked her life and that she hoped he would never see the sun and sky again.

"I hope you sit in that jail . . . without any contact with the world and that your name never comes up in any newspaper ever in my lifetime," she said.

Abraham Scott, whose wife was killed in the attack on the Pentagon, said he hopes Moussaoui and his al-Qaeda colleagues "are put away forever."

Lisa Dolan, who lost her husband in the Pentagon attack, told Moussaoui simply, "There is still one final judgment day."

Moussaoui, who had been smiling before the family members spoke, then was given a chance to address the court and launched into a sarcastic denunciation of the victims' relatives and America in general.

Staring at Dillard, the mercurial defendant said, "Maybe one day she can see how to my people the CIA has destroyed their life." Addressing the family members in the courtroom generally, he said, "You have an amount of hypocrisy beyond any belief. Your humanity is a very selective humanity."

A prosecutor, Assistant U.S Attorney Robert A. Spencer, rose to object, saying Moussaoui should not be allowed to make a political speech. Brinkema agreed, but Moussaoui continued in the same vein anyway.

"You are branding me a terrorist, or whatever, a criminal," Moussaoui said. "You should think about yourselves first." He added, "I fight for my beliefs, and I am a mujaheddin. You think you own the world, and I will prove you are wrong."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...050400715.html

[Glasgow53]

I wasn't following the trial too closely, but it seems like he is not at all repenetant he did this, he would do more if he could, I don't know what would be worse, killing him right away or making him stay in a cell by himself for years and years? It is too bad we will have to foot the bills for his incarceration, though. Maybe it makes sense just to exterminate him. I think if I had a spouse that was killed in the 911 mess I would want him dead, though.

[miss_perfect]

I was kind of pissed off at us having to pay for his incarceration, too, but I'm willing to bet that someone will get to him in his cell.

[Sojiita]

He was wanting martyr status and I am glad he is not going to get it. Hope he enjoys rotting in a cell for years and years.

[darksithbunny]

I think they made the right decision. If he had gotten the death penalty, I think it would only encourage them more. I saw on tv today where he will be staying. It is my hope that those criminals make everyday of the rest of his life a living hell.

[Grimmlok]

These days, I wonder if he was even involved, or if he was just grandstanding

[SVZ]

Does it matter? The public need someone to hate, and since Osama's well on his way to being forgotten (by the government)...

[Grimmlok]

No, not really. Osama is probably a figment of Cheney's imagination anyway. Hell, i think 3 or 4 of the supposed hijackers have turned up alive in other countries.. if that's so, who the fuck was flying the planes?

Oops, we'll never know because nobody cares..

[SVZ]

Witch, witch, witch! Or is it warlock?

[LynnieD]

^^Yea, I wonder that too.

[Rogue]

There's been applications throughout the trial with regards to his sanity haven't there? From what he's come out with, it does sound like he's got some mental health issues, to pu it very politely.

They are right though, execution would give him martyrdom, this is far more painful for him.

[SVZ]

He's not the problem though, at least no all of it.

Just recently, agents were able to get 40% of all bomb parts through airport borders - and this is almost a decade half a decade after 9/11

[Barbara]

He wanted to die a martyr, it's a good thing that opportunity wasn't given to him by the verdict.

The survivors and the families of the victims have to live all their life with what they had to go through. Death is a too easy way out when you commit such crimes.

[Grimmlok]

*snerk*

I'll remind them of that when the secret finally comes out that the whole thing was Cheney designed.

[Hazeleyed_Honey]

This whole trial just screams BOGUS to me. He wasn't even part of 9/11.

I KNEW he would get life in jail. I predicted it since the beginning. They probably offered him a deal along the lines of just pretend and play for us, then we'll say you got life in prison and we'll set your ass free.

Even Al-Qaeda members said he had NOTHING to do with them.

I just do not know what the hell to believe anymore.