Civil rights lawyer sentenced to prison

[EdNigma]

Send the message loud and clear. You support terrorism, you goto jail.

NEW YORK - A firebrand civil rights lawyer who has defended Black Panthers and anti-war radicals was sentenced Monday to nearly 2 1/2 years in prison — far less than the 30 years prosecutors wanted — for helping an imprisoned terrorist sheik communicate with his followers on the outside.



Lynne Stewart, 67, smiled, cried and hugged supporters after U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl pronounced the sentence of 28 months.
The judge said Stewart was guilty of smuggling messages between her client and his followers that could have "potentially lethal consequences." He called the crimes "extraordinarily severe criminal conduct."
But in departing from federal guidelines that called for 30 years behind bars, he cited Stewart's more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients.
"Ms. Stewart performed a public service, not only to her clients, but to the nation," Koeltl said.
The judge said Stewart could remain free while she appeals, a process that could take more than a year.
Stewart was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and her lawyer Elizabeth Fink had warned in a plea to the judge: "If you send her to prison, she's going to die. It's as simple as that."

Story
Good. She shall have the same fate as those she defended caused.

[BrianK]

"If you send her to prison, she's going to die. It's as simple as that."


That seems to imply that if she doesn't serve time for her crime she will live forever,I didn't know that was possible. People die everyday, some because of people like her.

I don't think the sentence was long enough to insure that the prediction would come true.

[Caldric]

Talk about bleeding heart... She cares nothing about the people she most likely helped kill.

[Woodmonkey]

But in departing from federal guidelines that called for 30 years behind bars, he cited Stewart's more than three decades of dedication to poor, disadvantaged and unpopular clients.

Makes you wonder just what else she did for some of those other clients if she would help out a terrorist.

"Ms. Stewart performed a public service, not only to her clients, but to the nation," Koeltl said.

Did she really? She sure didn't perform a public service to the nation by helping out a terrorist behind bars.

Stewart was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and her lawyer Elizabeth Fink had warned in a plea to the judge: "If you send her to prison, she's going to die. It's as simple as that."

So ... just what does her health have to do with anything? Does this mean that a murderer, pedophile, etc who has a terminal illness should not be put behind bars?

[KBay84]

Thank your local loony left judges who sit on the bench and hand out candy instead of lawful sentencing. November is coming fast...