We are about to see a real discussion on the Death Penalty

[ThomWV]

Soldiers sentence, recommendation of death.

No link yet, CNN broadcast.

On Edit: http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/02/soldiers.charged.ap/index.html

[ulysses]

1. if we get a decent nationwide discussion because of this

then all the better. Bet we won't, though.

[me b zola]

2. I'm watching on msnbc

Holy shit. Jack Jacobs, msnbc analyst and bush* whore, is talking about how unusual it is. I wonder why the army is doing this, charging them with premeditation? They didn't do that in the case of Abeer and her family when it clearly was premeditated. But this in case, the soldiers are saying that they were given orders to kill every man of fighting age.

Are these charges politically motivated? Dead men tell no tales, no?

[sarge43]

3. Hoping to cut a deal with the defense, more likely

Plead guilty and we'll drop the death recommendation. If this does go to court, 'dead' men will talk.

[me b zola]

4. Military courts don't usually over-charge the defendants, do they?

I always thought that military courts were straight forward, and only charged for the crimes that they had evidence of. Over-charging defendents is a tactic that civilian courts use (abuse).

I also can't help but wonder if possibly they are doing this now--before an election--to galvanize the repub voters. Yep, call me a cynic, but there is more here than meets the eye.

[sarge43]

5. Well, my limited experience with them was

they could game with the best of them. Both side will go for the best deal available.

Another thing to keep in mind is all court martial convictions are automatically appealed through the civil appellant courts. 99.9% of the time, convictions won't be overturned, but that one tenth can be - mmmmmm - embarrassing.