Charges against Ex-Sen. Ted Stevens dropped.......

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Any chance we see misconduct charges brought against these prosecutors?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/01/doj-sources-say-case-dropped-ex-sen-ted-stevens

[Abe Sargent]

Having a major politician in your sights is a major thing, even for the Justice Dept, and I can't imagine that they are happy with having let Stevens slip away.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Having a major politician in your sights is a major thing, even for the Justice Dept, and I can't imagine that they are happy with having let Stevens slip away.

FWIW......I think he's probably guilty of something. The big problem here is that charges were brought against him while in office and running for re-election, only to have them dismissed due to misconduct after the election is over. Pretty seedy stuff.

[Subby]

Are you saying he should not have been charged?

[Flasch186]

Since charges are dropped he should sue the shit out of the Feds and I was up there during the huge brouhaha and I can tell you that there should be some slander lawsuits too.

In response to the above when the Feds bring charges during a campaign season they need to be damned sure that some misconduct occurred so you either go to court and have the verdict rendered or dont bring charges at all. To have them dropped screams of witchhunt whether true or not.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Are you saying he should not have been charged?

He should have his day in court without prejudice if he is charged. That obviously didn't happen here, regardless of whether he's guilty or not. The timing of the charges with a later dismissal indicates a well-oiled political machine at work. And I wouldn't assume that it was a partisan political machine either. There were a lot of people that wanted his head on both sides of party lines.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Damn! Another criminal gets off on a god damned technicality!

Where's Dirty Harry when you need him?

[flere-imsaho]

That's crazy. I was previously under the impression that this was an open-and-shut case for the prosecutors. Good thing for Ted that we didn't send him to Gitmo, eh?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Good thing for Ted that we didn't send him to Gitmo, eh?

Would Gitmo have been a bad place to go??????

Miss Universe Calls Gitmo 'Beautiful' (http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/dpgo_miss_universe_guantanamo_lwf_0331092353191)

[SackAttack]

It doesn't sound like he's innocent, from reading the article. It sounds like the new AG is saying "The previous administration didn't play by the rules, and we think on appeal we'd probably lose for that reason. Let's do the right thing and drop the case now."

That's a little different from "Dude's innocent, we goofed, drop the charges, please."

[molson]

It doesn't sound like he's innocent, from reading the article. It sounds like the new AG is saying "The previous administration didn't play by the rules, and we think on appeal we'd probably lose for that reason. Let's do the right thing and drop the case now."

That's a little different from "Dude's innocent, we goofed, drop the charges, please."

I would have liked to see them retry him.

[SackAttack]

I would have liked to see them retry him.

True. But one of the things you run into with a retrial is the idea of the poisoned jury pool.

Dude's been convicted already, and fairly loudly. There's probably not a lot of people unaware that he stood trial, let alone that he got convicted on those seven charges. Could he have gotten a fair re-trial?

[sterlingice]

It doesn't sound like he's innocent, from reading the article. It sounds like the new AG is saying "The previous administration didn't play by the rules, and we think on appeal we'd probably lose for that reason. Let's do the right thing and drop the case now."

That's a little different from "Dude's innocent, we goofed, drop the charges, please."

Yeah- it sounded a lot like "Dude's old and he already lost his Senate seat- this just isn't worth the money."

SI

[Peregrine]

That's crazy. I was previously under the impression that this was an open-and-shut case for the prosecutors. Good thing for Ted that we didn't send him to Gitmo, eh?

Yeah I think on the merits he definitely was guilty, but it sounds like the prosecutors really screwed it up so bad that at this point there was nothing left to do but drop the charges.

[RainMaker]

He should have his day in court without prejudice if he is charged. That obviously didn't happen here, regardless of whether he's guilty or not. The timing of the charges with a later dismissal indicates a well-oiled political machine at work. And I wouldn't assume that it was a partisan political machine either. There were a lot of people that wanted his head on both sides of party lines.

When is a good time to bring charges? After elections? I have a bigger problem with prosecutors holding charges because of elections than just bringing them out whenever. In fact, the charges probably saved our country from having that corrupt Senator back in power.

Odd how you weren't running to the defense of Blagojevich and crying about a well-oiled political machine.

[cartman]

He should have his day in court without prejudice if he is charged. That obviously didn't happen here, regardless of whether he's guilty or not. The timing of the charges with a later dismissal indicates a well-oiled political machine at work. And I wouldn't assume that it was a partisan political machine either. There were a lot of people that wanted his head on both sides of party lines.

He did have his day in court and was found guilty on all seven charges. He was awaiting sentencing when this announcement to dismiss the charges was made.

[Flasch186]

the prosecutors cheated and he should be let off due to that. He also should sue the FEDS, whether he wins or not is a different story, but he should.

[Tekneek]

Do you really get to sue the government for making mistakes during your trial? I would love to see some examples of the average person getting money for mistakes the government made while trying to convict them.

[cartman]

the prosecutors cheated and he should be let off due to that. He also should sue the FEDS, whether he wins or not is a different story, but he should.

I'm pretty sure that since the feds are dropping the charges, and he will not now be receiving a sentence, that he cannot bring suit against the prosecutors. If they were going to move for a new trial, then I believe he might have a case.

From all accounts I've heard, there was no reason for them to withhold the piece evidence that they did, they had a solid case no matter what.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

From all accounts I've heard, there was no reason for them to withhold the piece evidence that they did, they had a solid case no matter what.

It was a bit more than just some evidence according to the LA Times. There was also instructing of witnesses while they were on the stand via hand signals and an inappropriate sexual relationship between the key witness and a FBI agent who later assisted the witness with a plea bargain.

Prosecutorial missteps from trial of former Sen. Ted Stevens - Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stevens-highlights2-2009apr02,0,6335291.story)

[JPhillips]

He should have his day in court without prejudice if he is charged. That obviously didn't happen here, regardless of whether he's guilty or not. The timing of the charges with a later dismissal indicates a well-oiled political machine at work. And I wouldn't assume that it was a partisan political machine either. There were a lot of people that wanted his head on both sides of party lines.

All of these prosecutorial screw-ups are evidence of a well oiled machine? Sounds like just the opposite.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

All of these prosecutorial screw-ups are evidence of a well oiled machine? Sounds like just the opposite.

Could be, though rushing a case through the system to secure a conviction could lead to some of these shortcuts.

Both sides of this thing are a disaster to be honest.

BTW....that Palin press release yesterday painting Stevens as the victim was such a load of horse shit. I couldn't stop laughing.

[molson]

the prosecutors cheated and he should be let off due to that. He also should sue the FEDS, whether he wins or not is a different story, but he should.

It's the People v. Defendant, not Prosecutors v. Defendant. It's not the prosecutors that lost the case, it's the people they represent. So when prosecutors mess up, I think you get new prosecutors and try him again.

And prosecutors are largely protected by immunity from lawsuits. There's exceptions, but largely, it would cause all kinds of problems to open that door.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wow. Pretty strong words from the judge dismissing the charges. He's opened a special investigation, stating that the prosecution misconduct was so blatent that an internal investigation would not be adequate. The prosecutors could face fines and jail time depending on the final findings.

Judge Dismisses Charges Against Stevens, Orders Contempt Probe (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/07/judge-expected-toss-stevens-conviction/)

[JonInMiddleGA]

And to save anyone else who was curious the trouble of looking, the judge in the case appears to be this guy. (http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/sullivan-bio.html)

Appointed to the bench first in '84 by Reagan (D.C. Superior Court), then by Bush I in '91 (D.C. Appeals Court) and then in '94 by Clinton (US District Judge for D.C.)

[Flasch186]

good, as I said before the prosecutors should be fired.

[molson]

good, as I said before the prosecutors should be fired.

I'm pretty surprised they haven't already been fired, if that's the case.

It's not like there's a shortage of lawyers out there who couldn't step up.

It's always so much harder though, to fire government workers v. the private sector. You have to build a whole paper trail, get the lawsuit defense ready, and then probably end up settling for $$$ anyway. It's really disgusting how the courts protect employment rights. (It's why I had some sympathy for the Sarah Palin troopergate thing - that guy was basically immune from being fired without a major settlement, even if he was completely incompetent. All you need is the right political connection, and any firing can be made to look political). You'd think it would be easier in this case, but there's still risks.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'm pretty surprised they haven't already been fired, if that's the case.

They haven't as of the judge's order at least, as the articles I've read since then discuss the question of whether they can continue on the job while they're under investigation themselves.

[ISiddiqui]

Been reading a bit about the Stevens case, and it seems that aside from not reporting some minor gifts, Stevens may not have been guilty of anything. Especially if there was perjury from the main witnesses against him. Definitely seems like a witchhunt.