Black shows 'stunning lack of remorse': prosecutor

[Praxius]

CTV.ca | Black shows 'stunning lack of remorse': prosecutor

TORONTO -- Conrad Black's lack of remorse following his conviction for fraud and obstruction of justice should be factored into next week's sentencing and possibly result in a harsher punishment, U.S. prosecutors said. "To this day, Black maintains his offences of conviction were 'rubbish' and 'nonsense,' and that the criminal justice system is 'essentially a substitute for a wealth-redistribution policy,"' lead prosecutor Eric Sussman said in a court filing late Monday. "Black insists he did 'absolutely nothing' wrong and that he has been 'unjustly convicted.' Indeed, Black's conduct makes clear that he would engage in the very same conduct again if given the opportunity." Black, once the head of the world's third-largest newspaper empire, is awaiting sentencing on Dec. 10 for his part in a fraud involving his former company, Hollinger International. Three other former executives were also convicted on fraud counts in July. Prosecutors said the judge should consider specific comments made in Men's Vogue and BBC Radio - where just last week Black said spending any time behind bars would "compound the injustice" of his criminal trial. "It has been my honour to show the shortcomings of the plea bargain system and the shortcomings of the corporate governance zealots," Black told the BBC on Friday. Those comments follow months of dismissals of his trial, which Black has called "persecution" as he vowed to be vindicated on appeal. "Months after the close of evidence and despite his decision not to testify, Black insists on providing this court with a lengthy recitation of 'the reality' of his conduct relating to the obstruction of justice charge," Sussman said. "Black's version of 'reality,' however, has no citations to the record and is contradicted in numerous instances by the evidence actually presented at trial." Sussman said the court should either disregard the comments, since they were made outside of court and not subject to cross-examination, or be viewed "as yet another instance of Black's stunning lack of remorse." Prosecutors also maintained that the full loss amount on the case's fraud scheme was over US$32 million - not US$6 million as a pre-sentencing report suggest - "and defendants should be held responsible for all of it." James Morton, president of the Ontario Bar Association, said he believed Judge Amy St. Eve "will be too smart to get really annoyed" on Black's comments, but cautioned making such statements "doesn't sing well." "You shouldn't be saying that just before sentencing, it doesn't really sing remorse." Black's lawyers filed their own response to the government's objections to the pre-sentencing report Monday, saying that "in many respects, (it) rejected the government's positions" and that prosecutors' objections should be overruled. Black lawyers took issue with the suggestion that Black should be sentenced under the so-called 2007 sentencing guidelines - a much harsher version than the 2000 guidelines. They argue that the earlier guidelines were in effect at the time of the offence, and point out that pre-sentencing report recommend those for Black's three co-defendants. "As a matter of fundamental fairness and parity, the court should look to the 2000 sentencing guidelines in Black's case, as in those of his co-defendants," Black's lawyers said. "Black was not convicted of any additional fraud counts, and his culpability, as measured by the fraud offences of conviction, is on the same plateau as the co-defendants." If later guidelines are applied to calculate Black's sentence, his lawyer said, his obstruction conviction could result "in a dramatic increase," and an "unreasonable and exalt form over substance." Black could face as much as 30 years in prison, although most experts say he's more likely to serve between seven and 12.

Yet another Twit in my opinion..... he's got about as much grip on reality as Paris Hilton.

[HelioPrime]

Well in all honestly... the justice system does fit the role of helping the poor gain huge settlements from lawsuits. Sort of wealth redistribution.

My god! You made a scene at JCPenny and got thrown out! 150 Million settlement needed!

[tinybear]

There's a grain of truth there that America's justice system has gone outta hand, but that doesn't change the fact that Black is pretty dumb for saying these things just before sentencing.

[Praxius]

Quote by: HelioPrime Well in all honestly... the justice system does fit the role of helping the poor gain huge settlements from lawsuits. Sort of wealth redistribution.

Indeed, both you and he are correct in that assumption..... it's redistribution of money in which he stole, so I don't think he has much to bitch about in my eyes, it's not his money, so it goes back to either who it belongs or to some good I hope anyways.

[another day]

He's the classic psychopathic business man...

[Praxius]

Update on this Fool in the Clouds:



Prison would be a 'bore,' Conrad Black says

Conrad Black will learn Monday if his sentence includes time behind bars, but the former media mogul seems unfazed by the prospect, telling CBC News that while prison would be a "bore," it would be "quite endurable." The comments, made in e-mails to the CBC over the past few days, portray Black as combative as ever. The Montreal-born Black takes aim at the justice system and writes that "prison will be a badge of honour to help expose prosecutorial excesses, the frailties of the plea bargain system." He and his co-defendants — Mark Kipnis, John Boultbee and Peter Atkinson — were convicted July 13 by a Chicago jury on three charges each of mail fraud. Black was also convicted on one count of obstruction of justice for removing boxes of documents from his Toronto office. Black is scheduled to appear in a Chicago courtroom Monday to face U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve for his sentencing hearing. While prosecutors have asked for at least 15 years in prison, he could face up to 35. But the 63-year-old doesn't see the prospect of prison as a dead end, pointing to other famous people who ended up behind bars, including homemaking maven Martha Stewart. "I can cope with it if it comes, and it will … only compound the injustice of this entire vendetta," he writes. "Prison would be a bore, but quite endurable." He adds, "I can get on with anyone and adjust to almost anything, and I don't consider [prison] shaming." The former head of the newspaper holding company Hollinger International Inc. has had months to prepare for what lies ahead. Asked whether he's sorry and whether he plans to ask the judge for leniency, his reply was cryptic: "Wait until Monday and learn the answers."

Let's see what his views are about prioson when he get's fished.... oh but I suppose he'll be placed in an open door jail for the rich with pool tables and tv's in each cell

[another day]

Yep, he absolutly will be.