Reply #35: Interesting question. [View All]

[H2O Man]

I'll say this: often, a federal prosecutor who is investigating a group of criminals -- it could be a group we call "organized crime" or a KKK-type group -- will know that members of the group is guilty of a wide range of crimes, but will face difficulties in making the specific charges that the public thinks are required. It can be due to some people "throwing sand" in his/her eyes, to borrow one of Patrick's sayings. And so the prosecutor decides to press charges that still punish (and, indeed, incarcerate) the guilty people.

When we think back to some of the terrible cases of violence during the civil rights era, where violent thugs were found "not guilty" by their KKK cousins on a local level, the federal prosecutors made cases for "violations of civil rights." And they got convictions that led to incarcerations.

One of the unsatisfactory parts of this, of course, is that there are times when someone who is a terrible human being escapes legal consequences, by striking a deal with the prosecutor. That may very well be where this is at today with Karl. But, as we know from Scooter's experience, Mr. Fitzgerald drives a hard bargain. He insisted that Scooter would have to serve significant time in prison, even if he made a deal.