Monday, November 27, 2017

The Punishment Of Oliver North

A confessed felon walks Excerpted: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/09/weekinreview/the-nation-the-punishment-of-oliver-north.html The Judge who presided over the Iran-contra trial of Oliver L. North, saved a final surprise for last by punishing Mr. North for his crimes with a sentence that included a fine, community service and probation, but no prison term. Mr. North, the former Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and National Security Council aide, was convicted of destroying documents, accepting the gift of a $13,800 home security system and abetting the obstruction of Congress. Judge Gesell could have imposed a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fines of $750,000. Instead, he imposed a $150,000 fine, two years of probation, a three-year suspended sentence and an order to perform 1,200 hours of community service. At the same time, Judge Gesell's leniency seemed to deflate a campaign by Mr. North's conservative supporters for a Presidential pardon. An appeals court later ordered Gesell to hold a special hearing to determine whether any of the witnesses at his trial had been influenced by North's congressional testimony, which he had been assured would not be used against him in court. North's congressional testimony: " Oliver L. North conceded today that he lied to Congress after his boss sent him against his will to a session where he denied providing assistance to the Contras. "Did you tell the truth at that meeting on Aug. 6, 1986?" defense lawyer Brendan Sullivan asked North during his second day of testimony at his criminal trial. "No," North said. "I went into the meeting not believing it would be illegal not to tell Congress the truth. "We do live in a democracy, don’t we?" a congressman asked the Marine. "We do. Thank god," North responded. "In which it is the people," the congressman continued, "not one Marine lieutenant colonel that get to decide the important policy decisions for the nation." "I saw that idea of using the Ayatollah Khomeini’s money to support the Nicaraguan freedom fighters as a good one," North stated. "I still do. I don’t think it was wrong. I think it was a neat idea. Posted by Paul Hunter

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