http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/29/759286/-Prosecutors-in-Siegelman-Case-Have-No-ShameFederal prosecutors in Alabama argue in a new motion that U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller acted impartially in the Don Siegelman case and should not recuse himself from further proceedings.
The prosecutors evidently wrote this argument with a straight face, while preparing a response on a motion to recuse from Siegelman's codefendant, former HealthSouth Corp. CEO Richard Scrushy.
At the heart of the prosecution's response is this novel idea: It's perfectly fine for jurors to be swapping e-mails during the course of a criminal trial.
RogerShuler's diary :: ::
To no one's surprise, Siegelman was not amused. In a written response, the former governor said:
"The government farcically argues that the trial judge and 11th Circuit decided in my case that the system operated fairly for me because the trial judge assumed that the emails from Juror # 7 and Juror # 40 were "authentic" and so when he denied our motion for a new trial, based on those emails, both Courts said that it's OK for jurors to be emailing each other before the close of the Government's case, OK to be in a a conspiracy to subvert the defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial."
(more)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This really is a case of someone (Don Siegelman, former governor of Alabama) being prosecuted because of his party afiliation. Seriously people, this could be you or me next time. If EVER you wanted to "fight the good fight" NOW IS THE TIME.
The Federal Prosecution of this man was one (the most egregious case) of several political purges by the Cheney administration.
If you feel no one should be subjected to political prosecution by our government please contact President Obama at www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
The prosecutors involved in the intitial prosecution are guilty of malfeasance at the very least. There are multiple questions about the conduct of the prosecution in the original case. Now, they are saying the judge in the original case should not have to recuse himself... I think the judge and the prosecutors should be investigated and if wrongdoing is found they should be prosecuted and possibly disbarred.