162 sats \ 1 reply \ @orthzar 17 Aug 2023 \ on: Hint at a possible Assange plea deal bitcoin
It is bizarre to call this plea-deal an off-ramp. The US government could end this instantly by giving up on the extradition. But that would send a message that foreigners can escape the clutches of the US government by simply stalling for long enough.
So, this plea deal is not an off-ramp; it's an attempt to speed up the extradition process! The US government isn't tired of this case; they're frustrated that they haven't had the chance to kill Assange sooner!
As stated in the article, the relevant laws don't apply to Assange, so the US government's case has no future in a non-rigged court case. If Assange accepts the plea deal and somehow survives to stand trial, he'd get the maximum sentence (like Ross Ulbright) -- despite the laws not applying to him.
Much more likely is that we will see a repeat of the Jeffrey Epstein incident. He'd wind up in a US jail and die in a mysterious way. Afterall, many of the same people who stood to lose from Epstein going to court, now stand to lose if Assange goes to court.
If Assange and those supporting him have any sense, they will see any plea deal as tantamount to giving up -- as giving up Assange to die at the hands of the US government.
Thankfully, it looks unlikely that Julian would agree if it would mean extradition:
The complication was that Assange would be required to travel to the US and admit guilt, he said.
“Everything we know about Julian Assange suggests this would be a significant sticking point for him,” Rothwell said.
He added: “It’s not possible to strike a plea deal outside the relevant jurisdiction except in the most exceptional circumstances.”
But Shipton said the idea of his brother travelling to the US to strike a deal was a “non-starter” because of the risk it could lead him to attempt suicide.
“Julian cannot go to the US under any circumstances,” he said.
The Age, August 14 2023
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