Are we safer?
Hurrah! one feels like saying. The "Natwest Three" apparently were guilty. They have admitted as such, and have received what one must say is a remarkably lenient sentence of 37 months.But what's this? Apparently it's not obviously they were guilty. The American justice system - the best in the world, I thought - cannot deliver justice. It ensures guilty verdicts by the use of plea bargains.
Well maybe. I don't recall many articles in the FT about it being so useless before, but that doesn't mean it's not. But I'm not sure I understand Martin Wolf's solution (he's not prepared to say we should never extradite people):
"At the least, the US must be asked to make a prima facie case. The conclusion is that simple."
Well of course. But this surely isn't the point? The concern is that the US system makes pleading guilty for a lesser sentence a better option than risking a guilty verdict in a trial. Wolf, however, doesn't believe the "Nat West Three" shouldn't be on trial, as far as I can work out. So the verdict of a UK judge would make no difference as far as the merits of the case go, it could only be on whether the US judicial system was fair or not fair. Which is surely a political decision.
Update: For all us lovers of liberty and those who worry about the mechanics of the extradition Treaty this seems even worse.
posted by Matthew @ 11/30/2007 11:01:00 PM
Comments: 11
