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On April 6, Russia Today reported on Judge Scheindlin's sentencing, saying:
"His defense plans to appeal to the Supreme Court" if necessary. It won't help. US courts, especially federal ones, are dominated by Federalist Society judges. When Washington targets someone for conviction, they go along.
Their right-wing agenda includes, rolling back civil liberties; defiling human rights; ending New Deal social policies; opposing reproductive choice, government regulations, labor rights, and environmental protections; as well as subverting justice in defense of privilege.
The Supreme Court won't likely touch Bout's case. At the appellate level (and High Court if it surprises), hard-right judges will swallow him whole or chew him up and spit him out unjustly.
That's the reality he faces. His only chance is effective Russian intervention. Its only chance perhaps is grabbing a valued American, putting him or her through the same ordeal, then arranging a prisoner swap. It wouldn't be the first time because it works.
Scheindlin's sentence added five years of supervised release. Bout's also ordered to forfeit $15 million and pay a $400 special assessment. Reports are he's broke, so tacking on fines and forfeits may be more rhetoric than reality.
His US lawyer Albert Dayan and Russian one Viktor Borobin said conviction didn't end his case. In two weeks or less, they'll appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. It'll take months to be heard and months more for a ruling.
In the meantime, Judge Scheindlin recommended Bout be kept in the general prison population, not isolation. His treatment's been so harsh and unjust all along, expect little change now.
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