TERRORIST MASTERMIND SENTENCED

Terrorist mastermind and Dirty Bomber...er, oh wait a minute...

Terrorist conspirator SOOOO dangerous that he was held for 3 and 1/2 years without access to an attorney, in solitary confinement, incommunicado, and treated so harshly he could not assist in his own defense, Jose Padilla, was sentenced today to 17 years in prison.

Lets remember kiddies, he faced life in prison and was accused of attempting to set off a "dirty bomb" in Chicago. Lets also remember one very important fact -- his constitutional rights as an American citizen were so flagrantly violated as to make anyone defending how he was treated to seem completely out of touch with that quaint little document called the Constitution.

Cooke said she was giving Padilla some credit -- over the objections of federal prosecutors -- for his lengthy military detention at a Navy brig in South Carolina. She agreed with defense lawyers that Padilla was subjected to "harsh conditions" and "extreme environmental stresses" while there.
"I do find that the conditions were so harsh for Mr. Padilla ... they warrant consideration in the sentencing in this case," the judge said.

This case was a farce from the start. As the judge said...

"There is no evidence that these defendants personally maimed, kidnapped or killed anyone in the United States or elsewhere," she said.

Absolutely disgraceful and I hope that history sees this for it is -- one of the most flagrant violations of Constitutional rights in this country's history. Sad. But hey, we all feel safer now right?