OK, I am not a lawyer and I can find no reference, I am only assuming but I cannot believe it is not a crime to state in public that you haven’t been convicted when you have.
Even if there is no specific crime I would think it is at the very least contempt of court.
If this is a crime then Stevens needs to get his butt hauled before a judge, this man is a lawyer and understands that an appeal is a process that does not change the fact that you have been convicted.
I would like the judge in the case to get this guy back before the bench to explain why he is not in contempt of court or whatever crime applies
[edit]
bmaz tells me stevens is actually right;
Stevens is within the law. A finding of guilt by a jury is not entered as a formal conviction until the time of sentencing.
that’s one fine tooth comb, my bubble is burst
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IANAL but the way it was explained to me is that the conviction does not become official until the sentencing. So technically, Toobz is telling it straight.
Of course, it is only Rs that are allowed to deal with technicalities of the law.
ya, bmaz explained it to me too
damn it!
Alaska lawyers seem to count a conviction right away. “Under state bar association rules, a felony conviction is effective as soon as the jury rules”
Regardless of the law’s definition, this seems to be protected by the 1st Amendment. If we weren’t free to lie in public, or state flat-out wrong opinions, the whole McCain campaign would have been shut down by now.
Elizabeth Dole’s TV ads are a different case: they are personal smears she knows are not true, intentionally delivered. This is different.