Obama confident in conviction of Sept. 11 suspect

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BEIJING — President Barack Obama said Wednesday that those offended by the legal privileges being given to the professed mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks ultimately won't find it "offensive at all when he's convicted and when the death penalty is applied to him."

The president made the comment in one of a series of TV interviews during his trip to Asia. He was referring to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who will be tried in a civilian court in Manhattan along with four others accused of orchestrating the worst terrorist strike on American soil. The Obama administration's decision to try the men in a civilian court near the site of the World Trade Center attacks ignited a fierce debate.

Obama added that he did not mean to suggest he was prejudging the outcome of Mohammed's trial. "I'm not going to be in that courtroom," he said. "That's the job of the prosecutors, the judge and the jury."

The president said that experienced prosecutors on the case who specialize in terrorism have offered assurances that "we'll convict this person with the evidence they've got, going through our system."



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i1ZM4v9qBjMH14mN_fah-9kYbGHwD9C1T9080

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Isn't it traditional ...

to wait for the trial, where evidence can be presented and the defense can make its case, before pronouncing judgment?

[sattahipdeep]

2. C-SPAN3 Live Atty. Gen. Eric Holder

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN3_wm.aspx

....
6:00 Truth slapped in your face!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r69IG6YV_P0

[kpete]

3. Obama: Alleged 9/11 leader will be executed

Source: MSNBC

Obama: Alleged 9/11 leader will be executed
In NBC interview, he then backs off by saying he doesn't mean to prejudge

updated 48 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Wednesday predicted that professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be convicted and executed, as U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder testified in the Senate to defend the strategy of civilian trials for the alleged Sept. 11 plotters.

In an interview with NBC News, Obama said those offended by the legal privileges given to Mohammed by virtue of getting a civilian trial rather than a military tribunal won't find it "offensive at all when he's convicted and when the death penalty is applied to him."

Obama quickly added that he did not mean to suggest he was prejudging the outcome of Mohammed's trial. "I'm not going to be in that courtroom," he said. "That's the job of the prosecutors, the judge and the jury."

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34015727/ns/us_news-security/

[MisterP]

4. you mean "the job of the prosecutors, the judge, the jury, and the DEFENSE," right?

or is this "he'll be executed so we don't seem soft on terra"--which was one of the "humanitarian" motives behind the Gaza War (to keep the warmongering Likud out of power, Qadima starts a war)

[frebrd]

5. So much for justice! n/t

[EnlightenedOne]

6. Oh brother.

My God - he spoke without covering each and every angle in order to please each and every American. The HORROR. The man confessed - nuff said.

[frylock]

15. the man confessed..

under duress. how do you think you would stand up to being waterboarded?

[humbled_opinion]

17. True and additionally,

That confession could not be entertained in a court of law because he was not given his rights first. I wonder how they will get a non-biased jury? I wonder if they will petition for Change of Venue? I wonder if he will be allowed to speak of the torture that was committed against him. I wonder if any muslims will be allowed in the jury pool.

This is going to be fascinating to watch...

[EnlightenedOne]

20. I believe I heard that he had confessed and bragged

BEFORE the waterboarding. But honestly, anyone who has been waterboarded over 180 times and tortured in other ways, I'm sure, cannot be competent at this point. But he will be the sacrificial lamb for those that need blood to spill - while the real culprits remain free.

[humbled_opinion]

16. Oh your so right....

So lets just throw out over the rule of law and our Constitution, Obama will be President forever, Right?

Get real Obama screwed up with that statement. Stop defending the indefensible you sound, silly.

[superconnected]

26. Read the article. Obama notes he can't pre-judge the case, he's only

saying that the prosecutors assure him they have enough for a conviction.

[onehandle]

7. Far Right terrorists like Timothy McVeigh and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed met and will meet justice.

The Far Right crybabies complaining about a civilian trial worry about their own ranks ending up with their heads on the block.

[optimator]

8. yikes

equating execution with justice and rights being "given" as though our country is the arbiter of human rights is repulsive.

[laststeamtrain]

9. I think there should be a Wall St. scoundrel execution every night on prime time TV.

Let's get to the real bread & circuses. Let the audience vote, thumbs up or thumbs down. Big ratings.

Why stop there?

Let's get the people who advocated the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They're worthless scum. Let's kill 'em. Bring 'em on.

:sarcasm:

[Tracer]

10. New York's Death Penalty Law Declared Unconstitutional.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/1199

How will this figure into the trial?

[cali]

11. It won't . this is a federal case, not a state case. federal law applies/

[Libertas1776]

12. Bingo

I was just going to say that. NYS may not have executed anyone since the 60s and now declared DP unconstitutional, but the Feds in NY, they have needled plenty this decade alone.

[ButterflyBlood]

14. I wouldn't count three as "plenty".

Only three people have been executed under the federal death penalty since its reinstatement and in this decade: Timothy McVeigh, a drug lord and one other. Many have been sentenced under it, but those three are to date the only ones carried out.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Most excellent catch.

[cali]

19. uh, wrong. it's completely irrelevant. this is a FEDERAL case. FEDERAL law and not state

law applies.

[Mari333]

18. sorry, but he should shut his mouth until the trial is over

imo

[EnlightenedOne]

21. Yes, he should just continue to let his detractors

and the hateful R's define him. He should cower in fear of their all powerful knowingness.

I think we should send all the R's screaming how "unjust" a constitutional trial is a box of depends. Sounds like they are scared shitless of "something".

[EFerrari]

23. He should not interfere with this man's ability to get the fairest trial possible.

[EnlightenedOne]

24. Perhaps.

and good point - but Obama has seen and knows the evidence. I'm sure he was just trying to calm the media frezy down.

[EFerrari]

27. He's a lawyer. He knows better no matter what he's "seen". n/t

[EFerrari]

22. Well, that was a bad idea. n/t

[superconnected]

25. From the article, Obama sounds fine in this.

He says he can't prejudice the outcome, but he's been assured by the prosecution that they can garner the conviction/dp.