Hearing set for Monday to oust judge in Cheney indictment

[sabra]

Source: AP

RAYMONDVILLE, Texas — A hearing was set to determine whether or not to disqualify the judge presiding over the cases filed by a South Texas prosecutor against Vice President Dick Cheney, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and others.

The state Supreme Court's chief justice appointed District Judge Michael Peden of San Antonio to preside over a hearing Monday on a motion to recuse and disqualify Judge J. Manuel Banales.

The prosecutor asked that Banales not hear the case. District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra contends Banales has worked closely with state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., one of the defendants in the case.

Half of the indictments are linked to privately run federal detention centers in the sparsely populated southern Texas county and accuse the public officials of culpability in the alleged abuse of prisoners. The indictment against Cheney alleges that his personal investment in the Vanguard Group, which invests in private prison companies, gives him culpability in alleged prisoner abuse. Lucio is accused of illegally profiting from prison consulting fees.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6131207.html

[11cents]

1. Uh-oh. I have an investment with the Vanguard Group.

Does anyone else here? We're all liable to be indicted.

This is fucking ridiculous. And a disservice to anyone thinks that Dick Cheney should be indicted for real crimes.

[riqster]

2. Capone got nailed by the IRS

Sometimes a criminal can be taken down by the accountants when the cops can't get the job done.

[nebenaube]

3. excuse me...

But why do you invest in the private prison industrial complex (aka 'work camps')?

[Peace Patriot]

4. I believe there are allegations of a coverup of prisoner abuse and corruption,

with direct involvement by Alberto Gonzales and indirect by Cheney. We shouldn't judge the indictment until we're read it and understand the evidence. A grand jury reviewed it for at least four months, and agreed with all of the charges.