Martini clashes with prosecutor in James sentencing
By Max Pizarro, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterNEWARK - Facing an increasingly indignant district judge, Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Germano said she wants 15-20 years, or the maximum penalty for former Newark Mayor Sharpe James.
"Your Honor, committing crimes does not come with an AARP card, this is not the movies," Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Germano said, referring to the 72-year old James. "He was healthy enough to travel to the Dominican Republic with Tamika Riley."
Judge William Martini objected to that last point, which is not part of this case, he argued. In an increasingly angry tone, he also challenged Germano’s more general references to James.
"You throw out a person’s entire history because of one instance in his life where he committed a wrong?" Martini wanted to know.
"You proved corrupt acts in his life, but I don’t want to hear generalizations about ‘corrupt,’ ‘all powerful.’ You can do it, but it’s not helping your case here," he added.
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Paraphrazing Corzine?
Martini said:
"You throw out a person’s entire history because of one instance in his life where he committed a wrong?" Martini wanted to know.
Corzine previously said:
“Any of the good works done by Mayor James are now overshadowed by this corruption conviction,” Corzine said
http://politickernj.com/wallye/18661/will-corzine-be-james-character-ref...
This is why you don't appoint
and ex-councilman, freeholder and congressman to the federal bench.
At the same time, asking for twenty-year sentences for a man in his seventies is ridiculous.
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