8 times, Al-Arian hears 'Not guilty' (Ashcroft fails again)

Mods: IMHO because of John Ashcroft calling this a win on the War on Terror in 2003 and Mel Martinez attacking former USF President Betty Castor in their 2004 race over her love of "terrorist" for not firing him, I do not consider it an I/P thing but a politicial show trial.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/07/Tampabay/8_times__Al_Arian_hea.shtml

8 times, Al-Arian hears 'Not guilty'

NO CONVICTIONS: The former USF professor and his co-defendants relieved after long, complicated case. DEADLOCK: Jurors can't decide many counts. "Evidence making these guys terrorists just wasn't there."

By MEG LAUGHLIN, JENNIFER LIBERTO and JUSTIN GEORGE
Published December 7, 2005

TAMPA - The judge announced the verdicts, one by one, and Sami Al-Arian's eyes shifted to his family, then back to the bench to take in the words he had waited years to hear.


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The verdicts were a major defeat for the federal government, which characterized Al-Arian's indictment as a major case against terrorism, and a victory for Al-Arian's attorneys, who considered the government's case so weak they they declined to put on a defense. {note trial lasted 6 months}

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As it turned out, the great majority of jurors wanted to acquit Al-Arian and the three co-defendants on all charges. But, they say, two to three others held out for conviction,

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"Because there is a document called the U.S. Constitution - unless we're about to repeal it - it protects Dr. Al-Arian's right to speak, and the government has not proven that Dr. Al-Arian has done anything but speak. . . . The fact that Dr. Al-Arian is a Palestinian deprives him of no civil rights," said Moffitt, explaining the
decision.


..more at link....

Compare the Dem leaning St.Pete Times headline..

8 times, Al-Arian hears 'Not guilty'

to the Repug Tampa Tribune that has spent years attacking him in their paper....

No Guilty Verdicts In Al-Arian Trial

http://www.tampatrib.com/MGBI6ZY5XGE.html

two paragraphs from the second source

"This ranks as one of the most significant defeats for the U.S. government, for the Justice Department since 9/11," said Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University Law School who has represented other terrorism defendants.

"The Justice Department spent copious amounts of money and time to make the case against Al-Arian