Extraordinary Justice

The WSJ has good coverage today (Sunday) of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeal's extraordinary decision overturning of Georgia Thompson's conviction. The 3-judge panel not only threw out the conviction, but they ordered her released from prison on that same day - the legal system just does not work that way. The judges also hammered the prosecution for its 'beyond thin' case.

This case was brought by Bush-appointee US Attorney Steven Biskupic. The conviction was used in last year's political campaign to hammer Governor Doyle. Now the 7th Circuit tells us that the government had no case at all. What an embarrassment. In this Bush administration is it more likely that Biskupic has earned a reprimand or a promotion?

Another troubling aspect was the handling of the case by an elder Bush-appointee, US District Judge Rudolph Randa, who couldn't wait to send Thompson to the hoosegow so she could get cracking on her 18-month term, rather being allowed to stay free pending appeal. That little bit of judicial discretion unjustly cost Thompson 4 months of freedom.