Libby defense team provides "Guidelines for Letters to Court on Behalf of Scooter Libby"

[sabra]

http://www.slate.com/id/2162762/entry/0/

[AndyA]

1. Hmmm...this could work two ways, could it not?

Perhaps the court would be interested in letters stating how disturbed we are as American citizens that rich politicians seem to always get treated better than common citizens...

[mod mom]

14. I am just about to write mine.

[Donnachaidh]

2. so let's turn this around and send MASSIVE letters to the Judge

Explaining why he SHOULD be given the HARSHEST jail term possible.

He truly deserves nothing less.

[H2O Man]

8. I endorse this idea.

And I will certainly be writing to Judge Walton.

[Morgana LaFey]

17. Hope someone will speculate on why on earth a "good man"

like Libby would include bestiality in his novel. And what that means, if anything, for his character.

[cassiepriam]

3. Taxpayers might want to write to the judge about how they paid for

Libby to work for the American people, not Cheney and Halliburton.
We want our money back.

[gratuitous]

4. Address your letter to the judge, but send it to us

We'll make sure the judge gets the right ones, eh?

Dear Judgie-Wudgie:

I would like to take this opportunity to attest to the character and integrity of defendant Scooter. Unfortunately, what can anyone say about someone who, in a time of war, would compromise the intelligence gathering capabilities of our nation? Someone who, in a time of war, would place political considerations ahead of the best interests of the country? Someone who, in a time of war, would mislead prosecutors, throw up smoke screens, subvert the political and public opinion processes and try to fool the population to its detriment solely to benefit his political overlords?

I submit that such a man has little character and damned little integrity. As an officer of the court, sworn to uphold the laws of this great nation, laws that have taken a battering over the last six years by the malefactors in the current administration, I hope you will do your clear duty and throw the book at defendant Scooter. The blood of our fallen fellow citizens, wasted in the desert of Iraq, demands nothing less if you honor their service and sacrifice.

Very truly yours,
Your friendly neighborhood gratuitous

[BuyingThyme]

5. Oops! I addressed mine to "Toots."

[Hepburn]

6. Actually, defense counsel asking that the letters be sent to them...

... and not directly to the court is not unusual. Kind of a standard procedure. There are several reasons for this, one of the major ones being that they will wish to keep copies of the letters and asking the court to make copies for them is not really a good thing to do. Court staff has enough to do. Once these letters are in the hands of the court, the employee of a private law firm just cannot go in and access them and copy them. The other reason is for organization. Get them, put them together neatly (including with any envelopes attached to the letter), and make them easy for the court and court staff to deal with. That way, the court gets them and can have them in a useful manner.

I did some criminal defense work when I practiced and really what is being asked for is not out of line. It is standard on sentencing hearings for the defense to present well organized letters of support. And, btw, it is a no-no to take out the nasty ones. You cannot hide them from the court because one would be misleading the court. At least that was the rule where I practiced ~~ mostly state trials in Calif.

So...it might not be a bad idea to send any letters to BOTH the court and to defense counsel. That way, the judge would know if the lawyers were on the up and up about what people were saying about their client. And on your letter, be sure and note that you did send a copy to counsel and the court.

Just a thought....and not meant to flame but to explain. :hi:

[Sherman A1]

7. Good informatioin

Thanks!!!

[Hepburn]

11. You are more than welcome! n/t

[H2O Man]

9. Great advice. n/t

[Hepburn]

10. Thanks....

...and I am already working on my sentencing letter for Scooter! :evilgrin:

[mmonk]

12. .

http://www.wilsonsupport.org/

[mmonk]

13. Wouldn't this hurt

both Libby (in terms of appeal) and the OVP and others in Waxman's investigation (their appeal for immunity from the Wilson suit)


"On May 17, 2007, Judge John D. Bates will hear oral argument on the defendants' motions to dismiss Joe and Valerie Wilson's complaint against Bush administration officials, as well as the motion to dismiss filed by the United States. Defendants Cheney, Libby, Rove and Armitage have all claimed that they are entitled to immunity from suit, because when they put into place their scheme to deliberately retaliate against Joe Wilson by revealing Valerie Wilson's status as a covert CIA operative, the law was not clearly established that doing so violated the Wilsons' constitutional rights."


Seems an admission of a conspiracy and that they knew she was covert.

[annabanana]

15. "Your letter might discuss instances where Scooter performed good deeds"

(make sure these good deeds were done for no monetary renumeration)

Perhaps he refrained from kicking someone when they were down.... that sort of thing.

[understandinglife]

16. Recommend # 5. Thanks for the heads-up, mod mom!

:hi: