Indicia of things to come that will bother my equilibrium are poking their heads up through the earth and new fallen snow. Here’s a statement I read in the paper on Thursday from the lawyer for Eldo Kim the Harvard student who wasn’t prepared to take an examination so he’s alleged to have sent a bomb threat to the school: “Certainly I’m not saying the government response was unjustified, but it’s important to keep in mind we’re dealing with a 20-year-old man who was under a great deal of pressure.’’
The lawyer is a federal public defender Ian Gold. Now these same lawyers are also representing the 20-year-old Joker Tsarnaev, born on July 22, 1993. How long will it be before they start telling us about how the Joker was under such great pressure?
I suppose they have already made the pitch to Attorney General Eric Holder on behalf of Joker based on his youth. Holder, as you know, is considering whether Joker should face the death penalty for having murdered three people in a terrorist attack and seriously maiming dozens of others.
I hope Holder recognizes that a man of 20 is not a young man for the purposes of making life or death decisions. Next Monday on Cape Cod we will be burying U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Matthew Rodiguez killed in combat operations in Afghanistan. He was 19-years-old.
It wasn’t too long ago we buried another Matthew on the Cape. He was Army Sergeant Matthew Gallagher from Falmouth. He was killed in Iraq. His father Peter was a detective on the Quincy Police Department who worked closely with me in organize crime investigations. Peter made me proud when he told me he had named his son after me.
If Harvard Student Eldo Kim and Joker are considered young men, then I suppose another person in his twenties who committed a dastardly act equivalent to the Joker’s should also be called that. That was Timothy McVeigh who was 26 at the time he acted. Yet, I never heard him referred to as a young man or read any sob stories about his hard luck life.
I hope Eric Holder keeps in mind that we have many patriotic young men who have put on our nation’s uniform and have gone off to foreign lands and lost their lives while serving our country. I hope he keeps in mind that if they are of the age to lose their lives defending freedom; then a man of similar age who engage in a terrorist act that murders peaceful people celebrating Patriot’s Day while watching the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, should likewise have his life put in jeopardy,
On Patriot’s Day we remember the American colonists who died fighting the British at the Battles at Concord and Lexington as well as those in the Sixth Massachusetts Militia killed at the start of the Civil War. Like the young men mentioned above who died in Iraq and Lexington, these young patriotic volunteers sacrificed their lives in the service of our country. It would dishonor all our proud dead to whom we dedicate this day in April to let one who despoiled this remembrance with a premeditated act of horror against the participants not to face the ultimate punishment.
If Timothy McVeigh who committed a terrorist act on the original Patriot’s Day, April 19 in 1995 had to face the death penalty so should Joker Tsarnaev. Their acts were the same: an attack on American civilians with a bomb. That only three died in Boston due to the courageous actions of the first responders and our skilled medical personnel should not inure to the benefit of the terrorist. Those who plant bombs in America should face the same fate as those who stood innocently by while the bombs were planted. Youth should play no role in the decision. There is no reason why AG Eric Holder should not find the decision a slam dunk. He must let a jury decide whether the Joker should suffer the same fate as those he murdered.
Looks like the US Congress will be working to do away with the federal death penalty. The question that needs to be asked is what is behind the timing of the bill? Number 6 is interesting! Of course you know, in a conspiracy all those in the conspiracy can be held responsible for all acts committed during the conspiracy including homicide regardless of direct involvement. Number 7, if the Bill is passed, will remove the death penalty should the corrupt proceedings in the US District Court of Massachusetts succeed in any kind of conviction for this Defendant.
Since decades usually pass before full sunlight, I’m guessing they will work really hard to get this Bill passed because they are well aware that they, maybe even you, could have have a seat a Defendant table at a future date. Denial is not material evidence! https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr3741
LJ:
I’m not sure whether that will happen or not but I’d bet against the feds ever getting rid of the death penalty; especially during the endless war on terror. Regardless, Joker should face the murder charge for his actions. I’d leave it up to a jury to decide the ultimate outcome; I don’t see how Holder can OK the murder case against Gary Lee Sampson who is some sort of low life and murdered 3 people while at the same time not give it to Joke.
Obama being in a pardon mood might tell Holder to go light on Joker because he’s a “young man” while he has no trouble sending other young men to death defending our country against people who are not threat to us.
Not particularly worried about being at the defendant table.
I sure hope they tortured him to find out the truth,eh?
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/12/fbi-copyrighted-interrogation-manual-unredacted-secrets
You’ll Never Guess Where This FBI Agent Left a Secret Interrogation Manual
“Security screwups are not very uncommon. But this is a first.”
Dec. 20, 2013
Unlocked FBI report
In a lapse that national security experts call baffling, a high-ranking FBI agent filed a sensitive internal manual detailing the bureau’s secret interrogation procedures with the Library of Congress, where anyone with a library card can read it.
Matt:
What if Dzokar has something to bargain with? Perhaps, he has information regarding the Waltham murders. Maybe, he can shed light on his brother’s connections. Do you think he might possess information so embarrassing to the Feds that they would drop the death penalty in return for his silence?
There have been recent media reports on the alleged insanity of Tamerlane Tsarnaev. Do you think these reports signal the roll-out of a new Fed damage-control effort?
Khalid:
Joker has nothing to offer. If he knew something of the Waltham triple homicide; if what we’re supposed to believe is true two dead guy carried it out; so what do the federals get out of that. As for his brother’s connections, only if they related to him being an informant would he have any bargaining power. Reading the Globe article the other day I sensed the FBI was being a little too close to the Globe putting out favorable information without having any pushback. I wondered at that and your inquiry makes me think there may be more to that. If he gets away with not facing the death penalty there may be some type of tacit deal with him – that’d be the only thing that made sense for someone who committed a premeditated terrorist attack murdering 3 people and maiming so many others. If Gary Lee Sampson who seemed a little bit unbalanced deserves it, as we see the DOJ pushing for it for him, then Joker also should get it.
The insanity stuff in the Globe may be some type of federal damage control. That article was written in conjunction with the FBI. How does it relate to the Joker? We’ll see with Holder’s action.
Do you really believe Dzhokhar slipped away during the shootout? Do you really believe that? You can bet your bottom dollar the FBI is beyond anything you can imagine concerning their true level of power if you actually believe Dzhokhar slipped away. They are evil and yet they are merely only tools. You have a massive shock coming your way with the FBI, you think you’re all over it, mate you have no idea.
Jack:
I guess I’m missing what you suggest because I believe the shoot out happened as reported. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the massive shock unless you give me a hint; I’m sure whatever it is then if it is good we’ll learn about it at his trial. And, if it is very, very good, I’d have to guess Holder will give him a pass on the death penalty charge hoping he won’t spill the beans.