No, you don't get a do-over in the legal system:
Larry Craig Denied Withdrawal By Stern, Unforgiving Judge
Washington, Oct. 4
Turning a deaf ear to Craig’s pleas, the judge informed him that his initial plea to submit himself to the judge’s discretion was given “unambiguously and without coercion”. In light of this fact, the judge would not permit any withdrawal, and swore to see to it that Craig took the full punishment coming to him.
Craig was visibly shaken by the intensity of the judge’s position. “I’ve never been in this situation before in my life,” Senator Craig announced between what sounded like gasps of disbelief. “I cannot recall ever having been this far on the bottom before, and I don’t quite know what to do next”.
Questioned later outside the courtroom, Craig was still struggling to come to terms with this latest development:
"It's outrageous. The judge seemed to think that, just because I pleaded guilty that I meant it or something. And then he went on about this stuff called 'accountability' and 'personal responsibility'. What the fuck was that all about?"
As Craig was led away by his lawyer, he was heard to exclaim, "Sentencing? Sentencing? What the hell!? How can I be guilty? I'm a Republican, for God's sake!!"
2 comments:
Man... he should have sucked the cock of a Sheriff or something. It worked for some other recent fugitives from justice.
The District Court's Order and Opinion are found at http://www.mncourts.gov/documents/4/Public/4th_Suburban_Courts/Southdale/State_of_Minnesota_v_Larry_Edwin_Craig_10-4-07.pdf
The judges does not swear to see that Craig gets what's coming to him, though executiuon of the sentence set forth in the plea agreement which supporterd the plea of guilty is assumed. Nor can I find "intensity" in the judge's opinion. The opinion is clinical and straightforward. In other words, it does not seem to me that the judge considered this to be a personal matter. While a 26-page opinion denying a motion to withdraw a plea in a misdemeanor case is not doubt extraordinary, there is no suggestion of personal hostility, bias or concern about Larry Craig.
Nor do I see substantial grounds for an appeal. This decision is discretionary under Minnesota law. The judge clearly considered the relevant facts and law and articulated a rational connection between the facts found and the decision made.
Surely the senator can understand that if a US Senator is allowed to withdraw a plea because his conviction has become inconvienent, every other person who has ever pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in Minnesota is going to want to withdraw her plea as well. Judges would never get their work done if they had to issue 26-page memoranda in all of these motions to withdraw pleas. Viewed in the light of the work the senator wanted to impose on Minnesota prosecutors and judges, the senator's conduct in the premises seems to me to be selfish and inconsiderate.
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