Third Time's A Charm

The Miami group who couldn't even afford guns but who apparently were all set to blow up the Sears Tower got convicted after two mistrials yesterday, and I have to agree with Jonathan Turley on this:

Some legal scholars said the case would continue to be viewed as an example of the Bush administration’s overzealous approach to terrorism prosecutions.

“The past cases ending in hung juries showed that the Justice Department had trouble matching the evidence with their rhetoric,” said Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington Law School. Professor Turley added, “It goes to show that if you try it enough times, you’ll eventually find a jury that will convict on very little evidence.”

This is a bad day for the justice system. The Liberty City group had no weapons and no plans. An overzealous informant practically walked them through the entire plan and insisted that they take a pledge for Al Qaeda. They are a poor gang being treated like dangerous terrorists.

The President ought to consider commuting the sentences.