General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Suck it up, Snowden-haters: New Yorker on "Why Citizenfour Deserved Its Oscar" [View all]LiberalLovinLug
(14,212 posts)So
a. Anyone who "hides" in Russia is an American traitor.
(Despite the fact that the American government nulled his passport so he cannot fly out.)
b. He must face his "crime".
(Even though if he returned he would not get an open pubic trial for the American public to witness and would be charged under the Espionage Act wherein he would be denied to use any whistle blower defense, and would not even be allowed to use that term. He would be kept in solitary with no voice, and likely would stay there for many years after the secretive kangaroo court, presiding over a literally defenseless defendant, pronounces him guilty)
I'm sure he would consider coming back for trial if he could be assured a fair one. Here is one idea of how to do it:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/23/snowden-deserves-jury-trial-nsa-leaks
But Snowdens trial need not be typical. The Department of Justice and Snowdens attorneys could agree to conduct it by a slightly different set of rules, rules that would permit the jury to consider the full extent of the alleged governmental wrongdoing he uncovered along with the full scope of his alleged crimes. For example, perhaps as part of an agreement for Snowden to return to stand trial, federal prosecutors could allow him to present evidence about the legality of the programs he disclosed and, ultimately, argue that his actions were justified by the alleged wrongdoing he revealed.