5 Responses to “Debra Burlingame weighs in on Moussaoui life sentence”

1. trinity says:

   May 4, 2006 at 11:20 am

   Unfortunately, it looks like Debra was mistaken about what some of these dopey jurists thought. It seems that these jurists DID, in fact, place enormous importance upon what they considered to be “mitigating” factors when evaluating Moussaoui’s guilt in this case.

   At least, according to what they are saying, that’s what their decision appears to have been based upon. Unless, of course, Debra is right about the jurists not being honest about their reasons for not voting for the death penalty. That’s always a possibility.

   I don’t know about you guys, but I would consider a mitigating factor to be something more along the lines of evidence that Moussaoui had attempted to dissuade the other terrorists from committing this atrocity. THAT would be a mitigating factor, imo.

   The fact that his father abandoned him, or that his sisters may have had personality disorders, or that he was abused as a child, or experienced discrimination because he was Moroccan, or some such BS, seems totally without relevance to me.
2. John in Dublin says:

   May 4, 2006 at 5:53 pm

   These jurors who did not decide for death are just plain idots. If there was ever a case for the death penalty, this was it.
3. twins3499 says:

   May 4, 2006 at 8:33 pm

   A mitigating factor is usually something that would prove an inmate could perform some meaningful act to better the lives of others even in jail and therefore should not be executed. For example he during his time prior to sentencing teaches illiterate inmates to read and will continue to do so and perhaps get some out of a life of crime.
   Sob stories about rotten childhoods just don’t fit the bill.
4. saxmachine says:

   May 5, 2006 at 6:45 am

   The fact that these jurors had the unmitigated audacity to cite a mitigating factor should tell you that they welcome more attacks.

   Either way, I give old Zack three months in that concrete cube before he starts smashing his miserable head against the wall.
5. DubInDallas says:

   May 5, 2006 at 11:38 pm

   Have you ever seen the Federal correction unit at Marion, Illinois? It is one of the most terrifying-looking places I have ever seen.
   The fences, the acres of drab concrete, the black windows (if indeed they are windows)- once I actually stopped and looked at it for a while. I can still conjure up the image. I was appalled at the utter deadness of the place- not one blade of grass, not one tree, not one drop of water, not one ray of light coming from within the building itself. Not one person visible, not one sound audible- not one hope for surcease or escape imaginable.

   I had been to visit Alcatraz, and I was suitably horrified at the conditions there- but at least there was the sight of Pelican Bay etc.

   Moussaoui is getting off light, but he is not getting off completely.