Airline bomber getting out of prison

The punishment is to lose their freedom. The punishment is not food/water/clothing/shelter. Those are things they get for free that others in society do not - they should have to pay for their food/water/clothing/shelter, etc just like everyone else.

Well, even the Russians didn't such in their gulags.

When Alcatraz Prison was operational in San Francisco Bay, arriving prisoners would be greeted by a sign which read: "You are entitled to food, shelter, clothing and medical care. Anything else must be earned." Good operational philosophy, I think.

we're not discussing the bazillions of other murderers on the planet , just this one guy. besides, it's scotland's decision and to me a stark and somewhat welcome contrast to the brutal system in the US (namely Texas, which boasts the most executions of all). am i condoning this man's behaviour? no. i think he got lucky.

Yeah - I like that comment. But honestly wouldn't doing some work benefit the prisoner as well as society. I don't know, but it seems like a win-win situation. The prisoner may have been in a situation growing up where s/he had no positive influence - maybe teaching some work skills and having them perform some sort of work could show that there is other alternatives rather than crime. I know each person's situation is different and some may never benefit from any sort of reabiliation, but I can't see how this would hurt?

I agree, I believe society has a responsibility to educate (just one of the points made) and reform those who have committed crimes. Or more specifically, those in prison who really want to change. It's good policy to allow prisoners access to education in the slammer, whether it be a GED or more.

Yup. And it's a nice source of extra income for teachers who can moonlight at local prisons. A friend of mine, a teacher in the daytime, did that. He gave classes in the History of Western Civilization at the Concord state prison in Massachusetts to cons for college credit. It was quite lucrative for a part-time job.

Isn't that a maximum security prison? Must be some interesting students.

When I was in prison (NB: with two keys to open [nearly] all doors) we had (and that's still the same) about 12 full-time teachers there, earning the very same salary as those in regular schools. About 20 prisoners were students at the distant university (nowadays a lot more); the prison bakery worked for a couple of other prisons; the "cable works" are the working place for those with a lot of muscles ... [900 prisoners at my time, no-one in there for stealing a sandwich, some apples and an egg.]

so what were you for? Come on tell us....

Worked there as a social worker, and later for a couple of years (wasn't employed by justice ministry anymore then) doing mainly AIDS and drug prevention plus special programs for those who left the prison .... after being there 'life long'.

Good evening, Walter.

Burnley 1, ManU 0. Happy days.

Hoffenheim 0, Schalke 0. Switched with discomfort between those two matches.

Oh, come on, really what were you in for?

I got two keys when I were in. And those opened all doors, besides that of the director. And I got money for being there - but had to pay for food.

He's going to die, right, so let's release him so he can be a crazed killer with nothing to lose.
He might not be guilty, but the principle behind this is ridiculous. The most dangerous killers are those with nothing to lose; they don't care about being shot.
Also, it's the same as saying; "oh, you killed a hundred people, but you're 72, so you'll die soon. You're released"

Case of Sean Sellers anyone? Teenager, convicted of killing three people. Has MPD; can't easily be blamed for what he did. Became genuinely sorry in his time on Death Row. Made videos speaking out against murder. Clemency denied. Death by lethal injection, I think.

Where's the logic?
The airline bomber might well be innocent, but the fact is, if he didn't have prostate cancer, he'd be left to die in the prison anyway. A longer incarceration.

Trade 'link' to bomber's release

Megrahi, left, appeared with Mr Islam on Libyan TV
The release of the Lockerbie bomber was tied to trade deals between Libya and the UK, reports quote the son of Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi saying.

Seif al-Islam told Libyan TV the case was raised during talks over oil and gas, AFP news reported. The UK Foreign Office has strongly denied the claims.

Scotland's government freed terminally ill Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, 57, on compassionate grounds on Thursday.

Megrahi told the Times he would present new evidence proving his innocence.

The man convicted of killing 270 people aboard a transatlantic airliner in 1988 said he would present the evidence through lawyers in Scotland and ask the British and Scottish communities to "be the jury".

No deal has been made between the UK government and the Libyan government in relation to Megrahi and any commercial interests

UK Foreign Office


Bomber release: What now?
Colonel Gaddafi's son had labelled Megrahi's release a "victory".

In an interview with a Libyan station, he reportedly claimed that the Megrahi issue had been raised repeatedly by Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair.

"In all commercial contracts, for oil and gas with Britain, (Megrahi) was always on the negotiating table," Mr Islam said told Libya's Al Mutawassit channel.

Mr Blair visited Libya in May 2007, during which UK energy giant BP signed a $900m (£540m) exploration deal.

However, the Foreign Office insisted Megrahi's release had been a matter solely for the Scottish authorities.

A spokesman said: "No deal has been made between the UK government and the Libyan government in relation to Megrahi and any commercial interests in the country."

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband earlier rejected suggestions the UK pushed for Megrahi's release to improve relations as "a slur on both myself and the government".

Prince Andrew

Separately, the Foreign Office was unable to confirm whether a planned trip to Libya by the Duke of York in September would be cancelled.

A spokeswoman said an official invitation to the British government from Libya had not yet been received.

However, it is believed any visit is unlikely to go ahead in light of the furore surrounding Megrahi's return.

The bomber's release - and the hero's welcome he was given on return to Libya - provoked anger from many relatives of those who died aboard Pan-Am flight 103, particularly in the US.

President Barack Obama condemned the jubilant scenes at Tripoli airport as "highly objectionable".

The UK foreign secretary described TV footage of people greeting Megrahi by cheering and waving flags as "deeply distressing".

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond also said the reception was "inappropriate".

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has so far made no comment, although it has emerged he wrote to Colonel Gaddafi to ask that Libya "act with sensitivity" in its welcome.




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LOCKERBIE BOMBING CASE
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Relatives' dismay
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'A convenient scapegoat?'
In full: Megrahi

There has to be a sweetheart deal here. You never get nuttin' for nuttin'.

I see the US is finally extraditing the convicted Irish terrorist Paul Brennan back to Britain. He is a convicted terrorist who escaped from jail in Northern Ireland in 1983, and was harboured by the United States for years despite repeated extradition attempts by Britain.

[sarcasm]
Good to know the relationship is equal
[/sarcasm]

And this has what bearing on Scotland releasing a mass murderer?