Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 07/27/05 8:55 am:
I see from the other board you are specically concerned about the Ressam case .
He was offered a lighter sentence based on his continued cooperation specifically with the case of Samir Ait Mohamed ,a terrorist who is jailed in a Vancouver prison and will likely go free if they do not get Ressam's cooperation . Since he has refused ,then no deal . He will get a sentence for the attempted bombing of LAX that fits the crime. I see nothing unfair it that .

Clarification/Follow-up by excon on 07/27/05 9:20 am:

Hello again, tom:

I'm not concerned with that specific case, and have no sympathy for terrorists. It just happened to come up this morning.

To me, the concept of plea bargaining is inherently unfair, no matter who is involved or what they did.

In Ressams case, if a lighter sentence would have been fair, then how could a heavy sentence be fair as well? Or is fairness not an issue?

Clearly today, fairness is not the issue - only what you have to sell. And, what of those who have nothing to sell?

Call me a liberal panty waist, but I think the justice system should be fair, instead of a marketplace. But, that's just me. I guess fairness is not fashionable.

excon