L.A. Times: Costly, Overly Long Trial of Poor, Entrapped, Harmless Dupes Somehow Results in Several Convictions
Here are the first three paragraphs of an L.A. Times article on recent terrorism convictions obtained by the federal government:
After back to back mistrials, five men from one of Miami’s poorest neighborhoods were convicted Tuesday of trying to join with Al Qaeda in plots to topple the Sears Tower in Chicago and bomb government buildings in South Florida.
Though a sixth man was acquitted, federal prosecutors claimed victory in a case that had dragged on for years and cost millions of taxpayer dollars.
Defense lawyers said their clients were harmless dupes entrapped by government informants. They vowed to appeal.
So how do you really feel, L.A. Times editors?
once again, i’ll mention that i can’t wait for the day that the HQ building downtown is offered up for sale as lofts and condos.
is the times dead yet?
redc1c4 (9c4f4a) — 5/14/2009 @ 12:04 amIt’s the first EIGHT paragraphs and the photo caption that are pro defendant. Geeze!
Ira (28a423) — 5/14/2009 @ 1:52 amLooks like an innocent guy spent two years in prison. Nice.
panorama (0e2ca7) — 5/14/2009 @ 4:51 am*shakes head*
Patterico does a great job skewering bias. Surprised he hasn’t linked lately to Not the LA Times. Well, IMO time for another round. Really like those sidebars like “Opinion,” “Cars,” “Work for Us,” etc.
Bible Twitter article’s pretty good – here’s Genesis:
no one you know (65b7aa) — 5/14/2009 @ 5:19 amDay 1: Lighting system installed. BRB.
Days 2-6: Some assembly required: sky, plants, cows, people. Left humans in charge, LOL.
Day 7: Siesta
Oh, THAT Liberal Media.
Techie (9c008e) — 5/14/2009 @ 5:30 amDing Dong the Slimes is dead. The Slimes is dead. The Slimes is dead. Ding dong the L.A. Slimes is dead. or something like that. Coming soon to a New Media outlet available to you for free on the internet.
L.A. Slimes = Bankrupt = Priceless
J. Raymond Wright (e8d0ca) — 5/14/2009 @ 5:55 amCorrect me if I’m wrong, but we keep hearing about how many decent and honorable professionals still work at the Times, but that this kind of performance is really just the result of a few bad apples. I don’t wish unemployment on anyone, but no self – respecting fish would ever allow itself to be wrapped up in this kind of sludge.
Dmac (1ddf7e) — 5/14/2009 @ 6:06 amTry to not take it personally, Patrick… It is the nature of idiots that they know not what they do…
Scott Jacobs (90ff96) — 5/14/2009 @ 6:35 amWhere is Sam Zell in this mess? As owner, can he really be proud of this drivel?
MTF (17058c) — 5/14/2009 @ 6:50 amZell is out of his depth in journalism. He hired some clowns from Clear Channel, and all they know how to do is write Dilbertesque memos. And he’s really interested in the real estate. So don’t expect help from that quarter.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407) — 5/14/2009 @ 7:02 am“So how do you really feel, L.A. Times editors?”
Well, now that the BK Court has authorized the bonuses for TribCo execs (though not unfreezing the severance pay of those departed), I’m sure some of them feel pretty good.
AD - RtR/OS! (be40b1) — 5/14/2009 @ 7:18 amIf you don’t already know this about me, I have a pro-defendant bias.
My experience is that nine times out of ten, the media just parrot’s the prosecution’s press release. So these relatively rare pro-defendant stories … I find kind of refreshing.
nk (a1896a) — 5/14/2009 @ 7:49 amThe acquittal of the sixth defendent puts a bit of a crimp in the “railroaded” meme, doesn’t it?
I agree with nk as a general matter, but sometimes turnabout isn’t fair play. How about just reporting the facts?
tim maguire (4a98f0) — 5/14/2009 @ 9:05 ampanorama – Who was “innocent”, or did you just conflate the concepts of “not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt” and “innocent”?
JD (1c1e84) — 5/14/2009 @ 9:24 amPeople from poor neighborhoods can’t commit crimes?
rochf (ae9c58) — 5/14/2009 @ 9:48 amNot without government help, evidently.
SPQR (72771e) — 5/14/2009 @ 9:49 amJust report the facts? Have you lost your mind, sir?
Dmac (1ddf7e) — 5/14/2009 @ 9:55 am[…] An article about convicted terrorists portrayed them as impoverished dupes who were dragged through the coals in a years-long, multi-milli…. […]
Patterico's Pontifications » Patterico’s Los Angeles Dog Trainer Year in Review 2009 (e4ab32) — 1/1/2010 @ 11:10 am