Wyatt lawyers move to quash Iraqi document

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Houston Chronicle

Wyatt lawyers move to quash Iraqi document

By DAVID IVANOVICH
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle


WASHINGTON -- Oscar Wyatt's defense lawyers are trying to ensure a jury never sees an Iraqi document they say suggests the Houston oil tycoon "has committed the deplorable crime of treason."

The 82-year-old Texas oilman is slated to stand trial in September on charges he funneled millions of dollars in illegal payments to Saddam Hussein's government in order to win lucrative oil export contracts.

The document in question suggests Wyatt discussed American troop levels and possible dates for an attack with members of Saddam's regime, prior to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

While the purported discussion about troop levels and attack dates are reminiscent of some of the armchair speculation common in the runup to the war, the details varied from what actually occurred when the war started.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5053155.html

[whistle]

1. Well it was just business....So now how about just justice?

[skyounkin]

2. Sorry.....

there is no profit in enforcing this alien concept of "Justice" that you speak of, we're gonna have to go with capitalism instead.....

and, of course, why do you hate America????

:mad:

[acmavm]

3. What a legal tactic. Keep the jury from ever seeing the evidence. It's not

new, and it sure doesn't apply to anyone not filthy rich, and it works.

An attorney once told me that the law has nothing to do with justice. That was years ago. And he was right.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. I feel he'll get away with this

That attorney was correct in what he told you. Those with enough power and influence can skirt around the most horrendous of crimes.

The injustice if it burns my gut.

[Banned_Wagon]

4. Oilman's lawyers seek to squelch notes on U.S. attack

Source: Houston Chronicle

WASHINGTON — Houston oilman Oscar Wyatt is trying to ensure that a jury doesn't see an Iraqi document suggesting he discussed American troop levels and possible dates for an attack with a member of Saddam Hussein's regime prior to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Wyatt, 83, is slated to stand trial Sept. 5 on charges that he and others funneled millions of dollars in illegal payments to Saddam's government in order to win lucrative oil export contracts.

His attorneys are asking a federal judge in New York to prohibit prosecutors from presenting as evidence handwritten notes purportedly made by an Iraqi oil official, which suggest Wyatt conveyed information about when the United States might begin bombing, when ground forces would be sent in and how many soldiers would be deployed.

"Oscar Wyatt never passed secret information on to the Iraqis," Wyatt attorney Gerald Shargel said in an interview Tuesday.

The purported discussion about troop levels and attack dates are reminiscent of some of the speculation common before the war, and the details differed from what actually transpired.

But Wyatt's legal team, fearful of the reaction a jury might have to the document, argued in court papers filed late Monday that the document "essentially alleges that Wyatt has committed the deplorable crime of treason and aided an enemy of the United States."

Wyatt's lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Denny Chin to keep the document out of the trial because "such actions would likely be considered repugnant by most Americans and could potentially cause bias."

Wyatt, through one of his lawyers, Tony Canales, declined to be interviewed.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in New York, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment on the defense motion.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5055029.html

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Excuse me, but didn't the Bush administration tell Saddam he had 24 hours or we would start bombing? I think that was pretty straight forward. But, do not get me wrong here, I don't trust this Oil Executive any further than I trust the Bush Cabal. I'm assuming that he must be a rival of BushCo.

[Demeter]

5. Oh Good! Maybe This Can Eliminate Cheney

and then Boy George gets left holding the bag.

"The cheese stands alone, the Big Cheese stands alone, Hi-Ho the Derry-O, the big smelly moldy cheese stands alone!"

[lapfog_1]

6. Where is Norm Coleman now?

Wasn't he the one that tied all of the violations of Iraq sanctions to George Galloway?

This guy (Wyatt) is worried that the public will think he committed treason by giving secret military information to Iraqis... I guess violating the UN sanctions and giving tons of money to Saddam for illegal oil was "just biddness", not treason. :sarcasm:

[TacticalPeek]

7. If you can't trust a Texas oilman,

you live in normal reality.

[loveandlight]

9. why is this guy the one they go after

Isn't this kind of thing just business as usual for the oil guys and Cheney pals etc. Why is this guy on trial for this? Because of this piece of paper? If that is the case and they get rid of it in court, I guess he'll just go join his buddies and yuck it up. Another one gets off free and clear. What are we to do really??

:shrug: