That, too, is at play in the Minor case. Consider this from a story about Wingate's most recent ruling:
The government had initially requested maximum sentences for the three men. Wingate said he would not do that, resentencing all three to terms that were less that those suggested in federal sentencing guidelines.
Wingate said he impressed by the contrition shown by the three. "You have with you conduct earned a reduction" in the sentence, Wingate said.
The Minor defendants, understandably, are desperate to get out of prison. And they know how the game is played, so they are apologizing for "crimes" they did not commit.
That's all part of the "theater" involved in our justice system. And it can't get much more perverse than what we are seeing in the Paul Minor case.
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