Penalize the American people because of the (foolish and arrogant, but hardly serious)misconduct of one lawyer. The judge throws down a lot of bureaucratic rules about witness preparation, and because one lawyer in a team of lawyers abrogates her rules, the judge in effect throws out the case against the 20th hijacker by excluding the most important witnesses. It's important to note the lawyer in question neither tampered with witnesses nor suborned perjury; she simply prepared witnesses contrary to judge's orders. How do I know the lawyer's misconduct isn't serious? The judge didn't hold her in contempt, which is what any normal person would do. Instead her "solution" is basically to threaten to set free a guy who could have stopped 9-11 by simply opening his mouth.
And people wonder why respect for the law erodes.
UPDATE: Ok, I got carried away; forgot that he's already pleaded guilty and this is a sentencing hearing. My point stands, however. The judge has no business censuring the American people instead of the lawyer.
