BREAKING: AP: Charges Reduced Against O'Keefe In Landrieu Case

[mod mom]

AP: Charges Reduced Against O'Keefe In Landrieu Case
Justin Elliott | March 26, 2010, 3:36PM


The AP is reporting that charges have been reduced against activist filmmaker James O'Keefe and the three other men charged in the alleged Landrieu phone tampering case.

The four were charged with allegedly trying to tamper with the phones at the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) in January.

The Justice Department announced in a press release today that the four men "were charged in a one-count bill of information with entering real property of the United States under false pretenses, a misdemeanor."

The original charge in January was for entering federal property under false pretenses for the purpose of committing a felony.

Here's the full DOJ press release:

-snip

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/ap_charges_reduced_against_okeefe_in_landrieu_case.php#more


No justice. :mad:

" If convicted, Flanagan, Basel, O'Keefe, and Dai each face a maximum term of six (6) months in prison and a fine of $5,000. "

what BS this will just encourage them to do this again!

[spanone]

1. activist judge? color me surprised...not

[mod mom]

3. especially when 1 of the 4 is the son of a Fed Prosecutor

[SteppingRazor]

2. Eh, the tampering charge would've been hard to prove.

Since the act was never actually carried out, they would have had to prove the conspiracy and the intent, which is never easy without corroborating witnesses. But the fact that they were on the property under false pretenses is pretty indisputable.

[Nikki Stone1]

4. They're getting him on what they can

Not a surprise, but a disappointment anyway.

[mod mom]

6. Watch...it'll be just a $ 5G fine which some rich GOP asswipe will pay.

[Nikki Stone1]

10. Maybe so.

Sigh.

[SteppingRazor]

7. Exactly. And I agree 100%. Not surprising, but still disappointing. n/t

[Gman2]

5. Protests, riots, WHERE?

[mod mom]

8. full excellent TPM coverage here:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/james_okeefe/

[mod mom]

9. O'Keefe et al expected to plead guilty:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/26/james-okeefe-co-defendant_n_515223.html

Here is a suggestion from a comment @ TPM:

I'd be just as happy to have the Court direct him to wear his "pimp" outfit for six months while doing community service in Harlem.