Alaska's Senator Stevens

[Sourdough]

You have probably seen the conviction of Senator Stevens in the news.  Well I want to threw out my 2 cents here on this subject.  I like many Alaskans have a lot of heartburn with what was done in this matter.  While I think it is time for Ted to retire, this is not the way for it to happen.  The man has given an entire life time in the service of Alaska, this is the first tarnish on that career, and many of us don't believe it is real.

1.  Federal Law says that if a crime is committed the trial must take place in the same location.  That means since everything happened in Alaska the trial should be held in Alaska.  The FBI filed charges in Washington DC, not in Alaska, they (FBI) wanted a jury not familiar with their star witness Bill Allen.  They also wanted to be away from all the other trials Bill Allen and his henchmen participated in.  The DC judge refused to move the trial out of DC.

2.  The prosecution denied defense access to the evidence used in the trial till it was brought forth at trail.  The judge admonished the prosecution for this but took no further action.  Prosecution hid evidence that could have proven innocence.  Again the judge admonished the prosecution but did nothing about it.

Most of the people I know here feel Ted Stevens was set up by Bill Allen, because we have heard evidence that the rest of the nation has not heard.  Things Bill Allen and his henchmen have said in other trials here in Alaska, that contradicts what was said in this trial.  Ted Stevens and his DC attorneys not being failure with these trials let those testimonies stand.  We feel this was politically motivated, they waited till just before the election to bring forth charges.  The trial was held outside the appropriate area, in an exclusively democratic area.  And inappropriate court procedures were used.  The democrates are desperate to get rid of one of their chief rivals.  Now the democrats are running adds that the rest of the nation is watching us and that if we reelect Ted Stevens we will be the laughing stock of the nation.  Another chip for their fillibuster proof majority.  I'm still going to vote for Ted Stevens.  I have faith that he will win the appeal. 

[myronman3]

one need look no further than barney frank to see that re election after a scandle is possible.    if things are as you say they are,  which i dont doubt, it is a bad deal.   prosecutors and judges make me want to puke anymore. 

[deltecs]

Sourdough is right on with his post.  I have already voted for Stevens and will continue to do so as long as his appeal is still pending.  Senator Stevens was set up by the partisan politics in the DC area and I have no doubt, much of the testimony presented in other Alaskan elected officials corruption trials could not and was not heard by the DC jury.  How, with all the discrepancies with federal prosecutors, any juror could convict Stevens on grounds of "beyond a reasonable doubt" is astoundingly apparent abuse of partisan politics.  One juror leaves to attend a parents funeral.  Another juror is appointed and in less than 3 hours a conviction decision is rendered?  What happened to the juror the foreman requested to be replaced for causing disruption in the deliberations?   Was this the same juror whose parent died?   Amazing how in just less than 3 hours a convition decision is rendered with a replacement juror, when all the transcript of the trial could not have been read in that time, much less deliberate on the credibility of witnesses for and against Sen Stevens.  Also amazing is the juror whose replacement was requested took days of deliberations without a decision.  Maybe this juror saw through the partisanship and determined to prevent a travesty by not voting for a conviction and thus a hung jury.  I think the Appeals Court has plenty of ammo for either a new trial or dismissal of the charges against Sen Stevens. 

[bilmac]

Of course any appeal results will be long after the election.

[Sourdough]

In the mean time it looks like we may be stuck with a tax crazy democrate named Mark Begich.

[Troyboy]

Hopefully justice will prevail and innocence will be proven. I felt like the timing was staged for the election.



                                               Troy

[muskeg13]

As Sen. (Our Uncle) Ted said, "This isn't over yet." 

The judge's having to stop proceedings 3 times to scold the prosecution for misconduct, including threatening to throw out the case each time, even though he didn't, should provide ample grounds for a successful appeal.  By the way, none of this was conveyed to the jurors.

The prosecutor was successful in holding the trial in Washington, DC, only because Sen Stevens happened to fill out the disclosure papers in DC, even though all of the favors alledgedly occurred in Alaska.  Request for trial in AK was denied.

Immediately after commencement of their deliberations, the jury starts fighting, to the point they ask the judge to dismiss a fellow juror, which he refuses to do.  A mistrial is anticipated.  Then, the next day, a juror just takes off to deal with a death in the family without consulting with the judge.  The judge decides to replace the juror with an alternate who had been dismisssed several days earlier.  The (kangaroo) court reconvenes and finds Uncle Ted guilty on all charges in less than 3 hours, and this is supposed to be American justice?  B.S.!!  Maybe in Obamaland.

I'm attending the Uncle Ted campaign rally in Wasilla (Home of Sarah Palin) this Sunday at 2PM and will proudly vote for courageous WWII Army Air Force flyer, Sen Ted Stevens on Tuesday.