Viktor Bout Says Comparing Thai And US Jails Is Like Comparing A Zoo And A Mental Hospital

[Buchholz]

September Trial Date Set For Russian Arms Suspect Bout

A judge in New York City has set September 12 for the start of the trial in U.S. federal court of accused Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

The date was set on January 21 by Judge Shira Scheindlin during a hearing in Manhattan attended by the former Soviet Air Force officer.

Sabrina Shroff, Bout's court-appointed attorney, told the judge she planned to challenge the government's case on the grounds that U.S. agents violated Thailand's laws when they recorded 90 minutes of conversation with Bout on the day of his arrest.

She also maintains that the United States has no jurisdiction to prosecute Bout since none of the crimes he is charged with took place on U.S. soil. "It's a manufactured jurisdiction," Shroff said.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan McGuire told the judge, "There is a nexus here."

Judge Scheindlin called the legal challenges "serious and difficult" and set a schedule for them to be submitted to the court.

Continues:

http://www.rferl.org/content/russia_bout/2283800.html

Radio Free Europe - January 22, 2011

[Wallaby]

Judge Sheindlin?? I hope no relation to Judge Judy.

[old wanderer]

I just find it stange that non of the people that have commented about this case have mentioned the following fact.

Each country has a right to promulgate any laws within their bordersw they wish. However the USA passes laws that effect people that have never been within their borders and inteded to be with those borders.

I do not feel any country has a right to have such laws.

What goes on within a country is fair game, however the actions of people that remain outside those borders, should not be subjected to the laws of a country they have no contact with.

[ScubaBuddha]

I just find it stange that non of the people that have commented about this case have mentioned the following fact.

Each country has a right to promulgate any laws within their bordersw they wish. However the USA passes laws that effect people that have never been within their borders and inteded to be with those borders.

I do not feel any country has a right to have such laws.

What goes on within a country is fair game, however the actions of people that remain outside those borders, should not be subjected to the laws of a country they have no contact with.

The USA also passes laws which protects it's citizens, which is why they are able to do this. The people who the crime (conspiracy to kill Americans) was committed against were inside U.S. boarders.

[EnSvenskTiger]

I just find it stange that non of the people that have commented about this case have mentioned the following fact.

Each country has a right to promulgate any laws within their bordersw they wish. However the USA passes laws that effect people that have never been within their borders and inteded to be with those borders.

I do not feel any country has a right to have such laws.

What goes on within a country is fair game, however the actions of people that remain outside those borders, should not be subjected to the laws of a country they have no contact with.

The USA also passes laws which protects it's citizens, which is why they are able to do this. The people who the crime (conspiracy to kill Americans) was committed against were inside U.S. boarders.

And the mere fact that you toke the time to think that out, write it down and post it here show’s that you will never ever be able to comprehend how utterly bizarre and internationally wrong that is.

Tiger

[ScubaBuddha]

I just find it stange that non of the people that have commented about this case have mentioned the following fact.

Each country has a right to promulgate any laws within their bordersw they wish. However the USA passes laws that effect people that have never been within their borders and inteded to be with those borders.

I do not feel any country has a right to have such laws.

What goes on within a country is fair game, however the actions of people that remain outside those borders, should not be subjected to the laws of a country they have no contact with.

The USA also passes laws which protects it's citizens, which is why they are able to do this. The people who the crime (conspiracy to kill Americans) was committed against were inside U.S. boarders.

And the mere fact that you toke the time to think that out, write it down and post it here show’s that you will never ever be able to comprehend how utterly bizarre and internationally wrong that is.

Tiger

Didn't take much thinking out. Criminal justice was my major in college. And I never said I agreed with it. Personally I think it can set a bad precedent. On the other hand, a country has the right to protect it's citizens, so I say fair play. True the law can be abused, however, Bout was wrong and evil on so many different levels, partially responsible for so much death and suffering, in violation of so many sanctions and laws, I'm ok with it here.

Edited January 23, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[animatic]

Jails ain't meant to be 5 star--or even 1 star--hotels.

But he is supposedly not in jail having not yet been convicted....he is on remand.

Remand is jail.

Prison is what comes after conviction,

except in Local jurisdictions, where you can be sentenced to jail..

[animatic]

I don't know that he would/could be returned to Thailand. After his extradition, he may be persona non gratis.

You mean 'persona non grata'?

Gratis has a very different meaning...

He may not be welcome, but he never did his work for free.

Hom grata gratis est.

Edited January 24, 2011 by animatic

[animatic]

I just find it stange that non of the people that have commented about this case have mentioned the following fact.

Each country has a right to promulgate any laws within their bordersw they wish. However the USA passes laws that effect people that have never been within their borders and inteded to be with those borders.

I do not feel any country has a right to have such laws.

What goes on within a country is fair game, however the actions of people that remain outside those borders, should not be subjected to the laws of a country they have no contact with.

The USA also passes laws which protects it's citizens, which is why they are able to do this. The people who the crime (conspiracy to kill Americans) was committed against were inside U.S. boarders.

And the mere fact that you toke the time to think that out, write it down and post it here show's that you will never ever be able to comprehend how utterly bizarre and internationally wrong that is.

Tiger

Or that you do not comprehend that international conspiracies are by nature cross border, but their targets certainly have a great interest in stopping or prosecuting their aftermaths. If terrorist and drug cartels can hide behind 'blind nationalism or parochialism' and ruin lives, then what is the point of international courts of justice and the like? There is ample precedent for cross border cooperation between nations vis a vis international conspiracies.

Edited January 24, 2011 by animatic

[ScubaBuddha]

Jails ain't meant to be 5 star--or even 1 star--hotels.

But he is supposedly not in jail having not yet been convicted....he is on remand.

Remand is jail.

Prison is what comes after conviction,

except in Local jurisdictions, where you can be sentenced to jail..

Bold is mine.

Almost right. "Remand" is simply a court order. "In remand" means you are under the order of a court, which often means you are in jail, hence the common usage "remanded into custody," but being out on bail is also considered being "on remand".

In America the federal government has prisons (usually called correctional institutions) but not jails as such. They have temporary holding facilities which is where Bout is. States also have prisons, counties have jails, and cities have temporary holding cells. A person convicted of a misdemeanor (defined as any crime for which the punishment is incarceration for less than one year) is sentenced to a county jail, sometimes even if it is a federal offense, as the feds contract with many of the county jails to house federal inmates. A person convicted of a felony (defined as any crime which the punishment is incarceration for one year or more) will be sent to a prison. Actual time spent in a jail or prison will vary depending on good time policy and early release programs. Currently the federal government you can only get a 15% term reduction for good time, most states 50%.

Anyway, Bout is being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in NY which is run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Edited January 24, 2011 by ScubaBuddha