BREAKING! TWO TRIALS: Judge Splits Rubashkin Federal Charges
Judge separates charges in slaughterhouse case
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- A federal judge in Cedar Rapids has granted a motion to sever immigration charges from financial charges against a former kosher meatpacking plant manager, ruling that a united case would prejudice the jury.U.S. District Judge Linda Reade issued her ruling Thursday in the case against Agriprocessors Inc. and former company official Sholom Rubashkin.
Attorneys for the Postville company and Rubashkin argued that presenting all of the 142 charges at once would confuse a jury and make it difficult for the defendants to get a fair trial.
Reade agreed, saying it would be a monumental task for a jury to keep all the counts straight.
Guy Cook, an attorney for Rubashkin, calls Reade's ruling a major victory for his client.
See, they are chip chip chiping away at the charges. By the time he's sentenced, he'll get no more than a couple years probation! Maybe the prosecutor could at least push for community service.Now wouldn't that be a sight- SMR on the streets of Postville picking up trash!
Posted by: Hometown Postville | June 25, 2009 at 05:59 PM
It is very interesting, the trip, two trials, the list will just keep growing and growing--is it a surprise. In the Gazette the mayor's voice for the city is already stating how the city will help with the WW Plant payments, the housing situation. Does this seem altogether too similar to the past?
Posted by: State of Postville III | June 25, 2009 at 06:38 PM
i don't know if it's a bad thing. a trial like this is going to be hard on a jury. i sat on a civil trial for an HMO case years ago and some jurors were doing good just to stay awake. after two weeks we were all just wanting to go home.
Posted by: Proton Soup | June 25, 2009 at 06:47 PM
Given that Judge Reade does not throw out the charges, which SMR's legal staff has requested, there might be a hidden blessing in this.
If convicted, SMR has to pay the Court Costs, which may be very substancial, now that there will be two trials instead of one and the enormous time put in by the Federal Staff in having to deal with the numerous (challanges/requests) by SMR's legal staff.
These Court Costs may, indeed, be more than any finacial penalties levied.
Posted by: sage | June 25, 2009 at 07:22 PM
This has dragged on for so long, it has everybody confused, not just the jury. The defense will eat the peosecution witnesses alive. Rubashkin will walk.
Posted by: Dark Side of The Moon | June 25, 2009 at 07:22 PM
Just think it's great the Rebbe and Michael Jackson share the same yartzeit.
Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 at 07:28 PM
Hey, was davening hard the Ohel today! see, it works!!
Posted by: Danny | June 25, 2009 at 08:33 PM
++Just think it's great the Rebbe and Michael Jackson share the same yartzeit.
Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 at 07:28 PM++
That's hysterical!
I wonder what Shmuely Boteach, the self-proclaimed 'Michael Jackson's Rabbi', has to say about the passing of his beloved student.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 25, 2009 at 08:37 PM
Sholom Rubashkin in 770 and the Ohel:
http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=4232
Posted by: mr mo | June 25, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Sholom Rubashkin dancing in 770:
http://chabad.info/index.php?url=article_he&id=47145
Posted by: mr mo | June 25, 2009 at 11:33 PM
I am in agreement with sage and Proton Soup. We shouldn't be hasty in thinking this split trial for an equally split personality defendant is a bad thing. It may very well backfire on the defense stratagists.
Posted by: yidandahalf | June 26, 2009 at 08:14 AM
Thanks Y&1/2,
Have a nice weekend.
Posted by: sage | June 26, 2009 at 08:23 AM
sage - legal analyst - truly frightening
Posted by: michael ben drosai | June 26, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Hey MBD,
I know that I'm on you S-List, and I couldn't care less.
President Truman was also the S-Lists of many, and he didn't give a damn, either.
Just go away.
You're not offering anything usefull on this blog.
Posted by: sage | June 26, 2009 at 10:51 AM