Paul Minor Might Not Be Allowed To Attend His Wife's Funeral

[Hissyspit]

http://legalschnauzer.blogspot.com/2009/04/paul-minor-might-not-be-allowed-to.htmlTHURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2009

Paul Minor Might Not Be Allowed to Attend His Wife's Funeral

Sources close to Paul Minor say the incarcerated Mississippi attorney is being told by federal prison officials that he will not be able to attend the funeral for his wife, Syliva, who died late Monday after a long battle with breast cancer.

The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Minor an emergency release to be with his wife of 41 years in her final days. His attorneys sought an emergency furlough from the Department of Justice, but Mrs. Minor died before any action could be taken.

Now sources tell us that Minor probably will not be allowed to attend his wife's funeral.

The Minor case has been filled with outrages, many of which we have chronicled here at Legal Schnauzer. The biggest outrage is that he was prosecuted, convicted, and sent to prison for a crime he clearly did not commit.

But the notion that Minor might be kept from his wife's funeral is sickening--and appalling--in what is supposed to be the world's foremost democracy.

What was Paul Minor's real "crime"? Being a generous supporter of Democratic causes and candidates in a state where Karl Rove had deep ties and was determined to join with pro-business forces to take over the state courts.

What was Paul Minor's greatest misfortune? Having his case assigned to a corrupt judge, Reagan appointee Henry Wingate, who pulled jury instructions out of thin air and made numerous unlawful rulings, causing Minor and codefendants Wes Teel and John Whitfield to be convicted for "crimes" that do not exist under the law.

Hopefully, Henry Wingate will be impeached and sent to prison for the federal crimes he committed in the Minor case. That he hasn't already been removed from the bench for gross misconduct and criminal behavior is symbolic of the lack of oversight in our justice system.

Federal judges--all judges really--are accountable to almost no one. And because of that, a human tragedy is taking place right under our noses.

Try to wrap your mind around this: An innocent man might be kept from attending his wife's funeral--after he was kept from seeing her in her final days.

I can't help but think that Attorney General Eric Holder has the authority to do something about this. But where is he when rampant abuse is going on under his department? Is he asleep at the switch?

[blm]

1. Establishment Dems WON'T allow this or Siegelman case the scrutiny needed - the stolen elections

of 2002 were the rehearsal for the theft of 2004, and establishment Dems needed Bush to stay in office past 2004, and needed Kerry (who would have CERTAINLY opened the books on BCCI, IranContra and CIA drugrunning) to go away.

[aquart]

4. Yeah, yeah, our own betrayed us we should just stop voting.

Really helpful.

[mod mom]

8. I think the point is to bring attention to the fact that they are now in power and should

utilize the opportunity for fair transparent and verifiable elections, BESIDES CORRECTING THE INJUSTICE TO THE POLITICAL PROSECUTIONS!

The treatment of Mr Minor as well as Gov Siegelman makes me sick to by stomach and ashamed that the DoJ has not acted.

[blm]

14. I never said that or even implied what you said. Why would you conclude and post that BS?

And why shouldn't you wonder why Siegelman was ALLOWED to be railroaded, and his election stolen along with other Dems targeted in 2002? McAuliffe sat on his hands and many of us see it as a deliberate.

Why you would even pretend that our anger is meant to encourage Dems to STOP voting is peculiar - is it to satisfy the kneejerk urge to protect McAuliffe's role in 2002 and 2004?

[LuvNewcastle]

2. My local tv station had an editorial

about that tonight. They scolded officials for not allowing Minor to see his wife. I guess it's too late now.

[slipslidingaway]

3. This is so sad, Holder should be able to pull some strings knr n/t

[Hissyspit]

5. .

[Canuckistanian]

6. Has Holder made ANY statements about the Minor case?

He seems to have LEAPT on the Stevens case and dealt with it with almost alarming speed.

Where are those lightning-quick actions now?

[mod mom]

9. Justice Department officials told the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that the government opposes

the release of Paul Minor. Here is where it is from:


Paul Minor Denied Release by 5th Circuit and Justice Department

by Brendan DeMelle Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com




Justice Department officials told the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday that the government opposes the release of Paul Minor, the prominent Mississippi trial attorney currently serving 11 years in prison following his selective prosecution by the Bush DOJ. The 5th Circuit moved quickly to deny Minor's motion for release.

Minor remains locked up in the Pensacola Federal Prison Camp while his wife Sylvia's condition continues to deteriorate. "Her demise is imminent," according to an April 4 report from the oncologist monitoring the progression of her terminal brain cancer.

The wording of the 5th Circuit Court's denial does offer a ray of hope that the two might be reunited, but only if the Obama Justice Department moves quickly to support his emergency furlough. The 5th Circuit response indicates that the judges deliberating Minor's appeal agree that he meets the requirements necessary for a temporary furlough. Different from the release on bail that Minor requested, a temporary furlough could be granted for a period of up to 30 days, allowing Minor to spend time with his dying spouse and to say goodbye in a dignified manner.

The Bureau of Prisons and the Warden could grant a brief furlough for a bedside visit with an armed guard, if deemed necessary. With any luck, the BOP and Warden will allow Minor an extended visit to love and comfort his wife and family under the 30 day furlough statute. Any sense of human decency requires no less - especially when there are substantial questions raised in Mr. Minor's appeal that will likely require reversal of his conviction.


Curiously, the 5th Circuit judges based their denial of Minor's release on Judge Priscilla Owen's previous denial last year of Minor's request for release pending his appeal. Judge Owen recused herself from Minor's case

Owen's recusal was appropriate given her close ties to Karl Rove, who is currently under investigation by the House Judiciary Committee for allegedly targeting key Democrats for prosecution, including Paul Minor, and for his role in the ousting of U.S. attorneys who refused to carry out the partisan bidding of the Bush administration.

-snip

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Paul-Minor-Denied-Release-by-Brendan-DeMelle-090410-823.html

[Canuckistanian]

10. Thanks. Disappointing.

It SUCKS that they're using Priscilla Owens' previous denial as a reason. Didn't she recuse herself from judgement on this case?

Who the Hell is Holder working for?

[noiretextatique]

7. how utterly cruel and comtemptable

i hope mr. minor finally has his day in a fair court.

[Spazito]

11. I can so NO possible rationale for not allowing the man to attend his wife's funeral...

NONE what so ever! This is beyond appalling, imo. Even if he is guilty, and of that there is certainly a big question mark, the crime he was found guilty of was a 'white collar crime'. There is NO danger to society if they were to act humanely and let the man bury his wife in dignity.

Appalling.

[glitch]

12. All the people involved in this outrage don't realize they are exposing their own ugly souls to the

world. Someday they will.

[RB TexLa]

13. How would you go to someone's funeral if you are in prison?