Is a man really innocent until proven guilty? If a man is acquitted, why is he still treated as if he were convicted? Gary Meringer is a Florida man who may wonder the answer to such questions. a federal detention center two hours away to visit Youssef Megahed. Gary Meringer served on a jury as a foreman. He visited a federal detention center to visit Youssef Megahed and perhaps get a few answers.
Meringer was foreman of a jury which spent a month hearing charges against Megahed. In the end, they voted to set the defendant free. However, despite Megahed being acquitted of charges of possessing and transporting explosives, he was arrested again. Now, the U.S. government wants him deported because the Egyptian-born Megahed is believed to be a "terrorist" in violation of his immigration status. Meringer could not believe that Megahed was arrested again after the acquittal. Many in the Muslim community believe that Youssef Megahed is a victim of profiling. Some call for President Obama to intervene.
President Obama has publicly called for an end to what he called the "cycle of suspicion."
Some argue he should start with releasing Megahed. Megahed legally immigrated to the United States from Egypt in 1998 at the age of 12. Two years ago he was an engineering student at the University of South Florida. Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed were pulled over on a highway, near Charleston, South Carolina, for speeding. At the time, police found PVC pipe with potassium nitrate inside, along with detonator cord inside one of Mohamed's bags. Mohamed claimed the materials were for homemade model rockets. Youssef Megahed allegedly had no knowledge that the materials were in the car.
Mohamed's laptop computer contained research on rockets and propellants and how to manufacture them. Mohamed pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists and is serving a 15-year prison sentence. Megahed went to trial and was found not guilty on two charges of possession and transportation of explosives. He was later set free. Should he remain free?
Update 2-18-10: To comment any further on this story, you will need to email legalpub@legalpub.net. Unfortunately, spammers otherwise dominate the thread and abuse the privilege.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
9 comments:
If he violates immigration pollicy, hey ho ship him away...
What about double jeopardy? IF the facts are the same, isn't he in essence being tried twice for the same allegations?
Does not seem fair.
Better safe than sorry philosophy?
Americans have become so insulated from reality…
Absolutely No Profiling! Pause a moment, reflect back, and take the following multiple choice test.
1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot
and killed by: a.Superman b. Jay Leno
c. Harry Potter
d. A Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40
2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by :
a. Olga Corbett
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:
a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d . Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and
40.
The blame game will always exist.
Contents of the laptop may be key.
Double trouble?
To comment any further on this story, you will need to email legalpub@legalpub.net. Unfortunately, spammers otherwise dominate the thread and abuse the privilege.
Post a Comment