Suff
03-10-2003, 07:42 PM
Subject: The sentencing of the shoebomber--"My heart
is still beating"...John
Someone has obtained the transcript of the sentencing
of Richard Reid for his "Terrorist" activities.
For those of us who are U.S. citizens, this expresses
our deepest held beliefs in freedom. The Honorable
Judge Young presented the heart and soul of who we are
with his most eloquent dissertation.
He makes me proud to be an American. Hope you enjoy
reading this.
-------------------------
United States v. Reid
Judge Young: "Mr. Richard C. Reid, harken now to the
sentence the Court imposes upon you.
"On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life
in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney
General. On counts 2, 3,4 and 7, the Court sentences
you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence
on each count to run consecutive with the other.
That's 80 years. On count 8 the Court sentences you to
the mandatory 30 years consecutive to the 80 years
just imposed.
"The Court imposes upon you each of the
eight counts a fine $250,000 for the aggregate fine
of $2 million. The Court accepts the government's
recommendation with respect to restitution and orders
restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet
and $5,784 to American Airlines.
"The Court imposes upon you the $800 special
assessment.
"The Court imposes upon you five years supervised
release simply because the law requires it. But the
life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no
further. This is the sentence that is provided for by
our statutes. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a
righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you.
"We are not afraid of any of your terrorist
co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have
been
through the fire before. There is all too much war
talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost
respect. Here in this court where we deal with
individuals as individuals, and care for individuals
as
individuals, as human beings we reach out for
justice.
"You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist.
You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist.
To give you that reference, to call you a soldier
gives you far too much stature.
Whether it is the officers of government who do it or
your attorney who does it,or that happens to be your
view, you are a terrorist.And we do not negotiate with
terrorists. We do not treat with terrorists. We do not
sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one
by one and bring them to justice.
"So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are
a big fellow, but you are not that big. You're no
warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist. A
species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted
murders.
In a very real sense Trooper Santiago had it right
when you first were taken off that plane and into
custody and you wondered where the press and where the
TV crews were and he said, "You're no big deal."
You're no big deal.
"What your counsel, what your able counsel and what
the equally able United States attorneys have
grappled> with and what I have as honestly as I know
how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so
horrific. What was in you that led you here to this
courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what
you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart
and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led
you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty
of doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not
satisfy you. But as I search this entire record it
comes as close to understating as I know.
"It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most
precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual
freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose,
to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe
as we individually choose. Here,in this society, the
very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere
from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize
individual freedom so much that you are here in this
beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly
see that justice is administered fairly, individually,
and discretely.
"It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are
striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed
appeals, will go on in their representation of you
before other judges. We are about it. Because we all
know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the
measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though.
It is yet true that we will bear any burden, pay any
price, to preserve our freedoms.
"Look around this courtroom. Mark it well.The world is
not going to long remember what you or I say here.
Day after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this,
however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and
courtrooms all across America, the American people
will gather to see that justice, individual justice,
justice, not war, individual justice is in act being
done. The very President of the United States through
his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay
out evidence on which specific matters can be judged,
and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge
that evidence democratically, to mold and shape
and refine our sense of justice.
"See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the
United States of America. That flag will fly there
long after this is all forgotten.
That flag stands for freedom. And you know it always
will.
"Custody, Mr. Officer. Stand him down."
is still beating"...John
Someone has obtained the transcript of the sentencing
of Richard Reid for his "Terrorist" activities.
For those of us who are U.S. citizens, this expresses
our deepest held beliefs in freedom. The Honorable
Judge Young presented the heart and soul of who we are
with his most eloquent dissertation.
He makes me proud to be an American. Hope you enjoy
reading this.
-------------------------
United States v. Reid
Judge Young: "Mr. Richard C. Reid, harken now to the
sentence the Court imposes upon you.
"On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life
in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney
General. On counts 2, 3,4 and 7, the Court sentences
you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence
on each count to run consecutive with the other.
That's 80 years. On count 8 the Court sentences you to
the mandatory 30 years consecutive to the 80 years
just imposed.
"The Court imposes upon you each of the
eight counts a fine $250,000 for the aggregate fine
of $2 million. The Court accepts the government's
recommendation with respect to restitution and orders
restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet
and $5,784 to American Airlines.
"The Court imposes upon you the $800 special
assessment.
"The Court imposes upon you five years supervised
release simply because the law requires it. But the
life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no
further. This is the sentence that is provided for by
our statutes. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a
righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you.
"We are not afraid of any of your terrorist
co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have
been
through the fire before. There is all too much war
talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost
respect. Here in this court where we deal with
individuals as individuals, and care for individuals
as
individuals, as human beings we reach out for
justice.
"You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist.
You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist.
To give you that reference, to call you a soldier
gives you far too much stature.
Whether it is the officers of government who do it or
your attorney who does it,or that happens to be your
view, you are a terrorist.And we do not negotiate with
terrorists. We do not treat with terrorists. We do not
sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one
by one and bring them to justice.
"So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are
a big fellow, but you are not that big. You're no
warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist. A
species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted
murders.
In a very real sense Trooper Santiago had it right
when you first were taken off that plane and into
custody and you wondered where the press and where the
TV crews were and he said, "You're no big deal."
You're no big deal.
"What your counsel, what your able counsel and what
the equally able United States attorneys have
grappled> with and what I have as honestly as I know
how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so
horrific. What was in you that led you here to this
courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what
you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart
and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led
you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty
of doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not
satisfy you. But as I search this entire record it
comes as close to understating as I know.
"It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most
precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual
freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose,
to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe
as we individually choose. Here,in this society, the
very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere
from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize
individual freedom so much that you are here in this
beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly
see that justice is administered fairly, individually,
and discretely.
"It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are
striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed
appeals, will go on in their representation of you
before other judges. We are about it. Because we all
know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the
measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though.
It is yet true that we will bear any burden, pay any
price, to preserve our freedoms.
"Look around this courtroom. Mark it well.The world is
not going to long remember what you or I say here.
Day after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this,
however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and
courtrooms all across America, the American people
will gather to see that justice, individual justice,
justice, not war, individual justice is in act being
done. The very President of the United States through
his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay
out evidence on which specific matters can be judged,
and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge
that evidence democratically, to mold and shape
and refine our sense of justice.
"See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the
United States of America. That flag will fly there
long after this is all forgotten.
That flag stands for freedom. And you know it always
will.
"Custody, Mr. Officer. Stand him down."