Second Thoughts
Zacarias Moussaoui, now expressing belief in the American justice system, wants to withdraw his guilty plea.
Convicted Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui says he lied on the witness stand about being involved in the terrorist plot and wants to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial. The judge turned him down.
Moussaoui said he was "extremely surprised" that he was sentenced to life in prison instead of execution and now believes he can get a fair trial from an American jury.
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Explaining his latest reversal, Moussaoui said in an affidavit:
"I had thought I would be sentenced to death based on the emotions and anger toward me for the deaths on Sept. 11. But after reviewing the jury verdict and reading how the jurors set aside their emotions and disgust for me and focused on the law and the evidence ... I now see that it is possible that I can receive a fair trial even with Americans as jurors."
It appears that two consecutive life sentences in max lock-down prison circumstances is, indeed, a fate worse than death to Moussaoui--enough to make a request using language that surely must be anathema to the likes of Al-Qaeda, etc.
Your reaction?
Convicted Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui says he lied on the witness stand about being involved in the terrorist plot and wants to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial. The judge turned him down.
Moussaoui said he was "extremely surprised" that he was sentenced to life in prison instead of execution and now believes he can get a fair trial from an American jury.
...
Explaining his latest reversal, Moussaoui said in an affidavit:
"I had thought I would be sentenced to death based on the emotions and anger toward me for the deaths on Sept. 11. But after reviewing the jury verdict and reading how the jurors set aside their emotions and disgust for me and focused on the law and the evidence ... I now see that it is possible that I can receive a fair trial even with Americans as jurors."
It appears that two consecutive life sentences in max lock-down prison circumstances is, indeed, a fate worse than death to Moussaoui--enough to make a request using language that surely must be anathema to the likes of Al-Qaeda, etc.
Your reaction?
Labels: Sept. 11
