Down to the Wire in the Jose Padilla Case
Good morning from balmy Miami. I'm here at the federal courthouse's "listening room," listening to U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke give jurors their instructions in the terror support and conspiracy trial of Jose Padilla, the once-upon-a-time "dirty bomb" suspect who now is a twitching mess.
I'll post more later, after the feds begin to make their pitch. In the meantime, here is a nugget for you to chew on. The media crowd is sparse, especially compared with that at the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the once-upon-a-time "20th hijacker" who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison last year in Virginia. There is no "tent city" for media folks like you see at most major trials -- which is good news for everyone because it's about 543 degrees outside. And there doesn't appear to be a grand security presence either -- also in stark contrast to the early terror-law trials we saw after 9/11.
Post at you later, after prosecutors make their closing arguments. Tomorrow everyone expects this controversial case to finally get to the jury after months and months of witnesses, evidence and wrangling by and between the attorneys and the judge.
By Andrew Cohen |
August 13, 2007; 9:25 AM ET
Previous: Calling Them Killers Doesn't Make Them So |
Next: Padilla Trial Takes a 'Star' Turn
Posted by: | August 13, 2007 10:59 AM
Quite right, my anonymous friend. Moussaoui DID plead guilty and the trial I attended WAS his sentencing trial. I apologize for the mistake and thank you for bringing it to everyone's attention. I'll now fix it up top.
Posted by: Andrew Cohen | August 13, 2007 11:56 AM
Gosh, Andrew, we thought you were PERFECT. I can't believe you would make such a petty mistake, you human.
Posted by: ExAUSA | August 13, 2007 12:49 PM
Get this straight, Cohen: You are NOT my friend. Before you go destroying people's lives, and putting things in print that can never be undone, never be unsaid, it's sort of important to get the facts straight, ya' know?
Things are not always as they seem-as trite as that sounds, it needs to be said over and over again, because the "feral beast" doesn't learn, and doesn't comprehend.
Posted by: | August 13, 2007 12:53 PM
Geez, Anon, who p*ssed in your Cheerios?
Posted by: osmor | August 13, 2007 01:32 PM
Yeah, just think of all those lives that would not have been destroyed if only Andrew had correctly described the disposition of the Moussaoui matter.
Posted by: ExAUSA | August 13, 2007 04:12 PM
Anyone who advances the notion that the attacks of 11 September were anything but an inside job advances a myth. Including trials of star terrorists, which are nothing but snacks for the media.
Posted by: HenryDavid | August 13, 2007 04:52 PM
Time for another excerpt from the lost transcripts:
UBL: Have you been following this, this trial they are having of our old friend Jose?
AAZ: You mean, the goofy one, the punk from Division Street?
UBL: Division Street, what do you know about Division Street, you've never been there.
AAZ: I certainly have.
UBL: When?
AAZ: In my salad days I ran with Nelson Algren there.
UBL: Yeah, right, well I saw on Al Jazeera that they are about to convict Jose. I thought I told you to kill him.
AAZ: I sent somebody from the Lackawanna cell to do it but --
UBL: Next time don't send anyone from freaking Lackawanna, OK, Ayman. Jeez Louise, those idiots. If you want it done, you send our stinkin' guys. Anyway, they said on Al Jazeera that he's the star terrorist, or the Great Satan thinks he is, or whatever.
AAZ: (Laughs.) Star? The star idiot, maybe.
(Wrapped newspaper flies in from the opening of the cave and bounces off the fire, kicking sparks and soot towards UBL.)
UBL: Hey! Goddammit, that newsboy, I swear! We can make the Great Satan mobilize in Iraq, we can inconvenience every air traveler in the Western World, and we can even make people in the U.S. think 9/11 was an inside job, but we can't get that stinkin' newsboy to leave the paper at the front door. (Opens up newspaper.) Oh, here it is. "U.S. Says Jose Star Terrorist." How ridiculous is that? There's only one star terrorist, and that's me.
AAZ: Yeah, boss.
Posted by: ExAUSA | August 13, 2007 06:51 PM
Thanks Mr. Cohen, the time was when this trial would have gotten the full media circus treatment. Now the Rupublicans want to sweep it all under the rug and hope we forget the name Padilla. Please keep your reader apprised about the outcome.
Posted by: H5N1 | August 14, 2007 02:02 PM
Look anon, I don't know what Andrew did or didn't do as far as printing facts "that destroyed people's lives", but he IS allowing you to voice yourself unedited on his blog, so isn't less churlishness in order?
BTW I have NEVER, with all due respect, suspected Andrew was close to perfect.
Posted by: Damian | August 15, 2007 12:46 PM
Anon, I might understand a little bit, maybe have been a little slow with the hints you've dropped; you don't need to reveal yourself more.
Posted by: D | August 15, 2007 01:11 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
"with the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the once-upon-a-time "20th hijacker" who was tried and ultimately convicted last year up in Virginia."
Uh, no, Cohen. You have that wrong, as usual. Moussaoui PLED GUILTY. HE THEN HAD A SENTENCING TRIAL IN MARCH 2006-there was never a "guilt" phase trial. Get your facts straight, please!