Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on TwitterBe a Facebook FanTumble us!

17 Nov 2010 20:42

tags

U.S.: Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani finds civilian court nicer than military court

  • 224 number of people killed in the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania
  • 285 number of charges Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani faced in front of a civilian court recently
  • one number of charges he was actually convicted of; he’ll go to jail for at least 20 years source
  • » Why this trial is a big deal: Ghailani was the first suspect who served time in Guantanamo to face trial in a civilian, rather than a military, court. The suspect once faced much harsher charges that could’ve led to the death penalty, but instead will receive a much lighter sentence. For its part, the Justice Department is OK with that: “We respect the jury’s verdict and are pleased that Ahmed Ghailani now faces a minimum of 20 years in prison and a potential life sentence for his role in the embassy bombings,” they wrote.

21 May 2009 23:42

tags

U.S., World: Ringleader of rape, murders in Iraq sentenced to life in prison

  • The case, which we covered in detail (for us, anyway) a couple of weeks ago, was a brutal killing of a family in Iraq and and a rape of a 14-year-old girl. *shudder* source
  • Steven Green, who was arrested after his discharge from the Army, was sentenced by a civilian jury to life, though he could’ve gotten the death penalty. source
  • The defense argued successfully that Green was a “broken soldier” and product of a bad childhood who was mentally damaged by the effects of the Iraq war. source