Saturday, July 14, 2007
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the case of United States v. William C. Campbell that the former mayor of Atlanta will not be given relief. In affirming the conviction, the court rejected Campbell's arguments that he had been deprived of his Sixth Amendment right to counsel by disqualifying his attorney of choice and that his thirty month prison sentence was unreasonable. Convicted of three tax offenses, Campbell like Libby had no prior criminal record. In finding the sentence acceptable, the court stated that it had "acknowledged Campbell's accomplishments as mayor and his devotion to this children." The court rejected Campbell's arguments that: "(1) his status as a 'first offender with an exceptional personal history who cannot be considered likely to commit further crimes, 2) his service to the public, and 3) statistics that indicate that Campbell's sentences greatly exceed the average sentences imposed upon those convicted of tax crimes." I guess Campbell can't call up President Bush for his "get our of jail free card."