Family, Euro governments balk at US death penalty bid for Moussaoui News
Family, Euro governments balk at US death penalty bid for Moussaoui

[JURIST] Francois Roux, a French lawyer advising Aicha El Wafi, the mother of indicted US terror suspect Zacarias Moussaoui, the French citizen who earlier this week pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy stemming from the September 11th terrorist attacks, said Sunday he was disappointed about Moussaoui's plea but promised that the family would nonetheless "fight with everything we've got" to prevent him from being executed. US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said last week that the Justice Department would seek the death penalty in the case [press conference remarks] despite the European Union's condemnation of the use of the death penalty for foreign nationals, Germany's reluctance to turn over evidence on Moussaoui for fear he may be executed and France's plea to save Moussaoui's life. Reuters has more. Listen to an April 8 interview with Moussaoui's mother [Democracy Now audio].

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emporer

On December 25, 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome, Italy. During his lifetime, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He is credited with spreading the rule of law throughout his dominions as well as starting the French and German monarchies.

President Andrew Johnson pardoned Confederates

On December 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all who had been involved in "insurrection or rebellion" during the US Civil War.