September 11 prisoner attempts to plead guilty
Zacarias Moussaoui, the alleged twentieth September 11 hijacker, attempted to plead guilty in a Washington court today but the judge insisted that he take a week to think about it.
‘‘I am a member of al-Qaida’’ pledged to Osama bin Laden, Moussaoui told District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who moments earlier had entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to a third indictment.
Shortly after that, Moussaoui tried to plead guilty.
After an arraignment in which Moussaoui often sparred with the judge, Brinkema insisted that Moussaoui think about his decision for a week. She scheduled a hearing for next Thursday.
‘‘I don’t need,’’ Moussaoui said in response. ‘‘I’ve been thinking about it for months.’’
Moussaoui, a French citizen, said, however, he wanted to fight the government’s attempt to have him executed. The penalty phase normally would come after a guilty plea or conviction in a trial.
The arraignment had been scheduled after the government this obtained a third indictment against Moussaoui following a new Supreme Court ruling on the death penalty. The new indictment added allegations that would enable the government to seek the death penalty.
Moussaoui at first tried to enter what he called ‘‘a pure plea.’’ He said said such a plea would enable him to make specific statements regarding his participation in a known terrorist group since 1995.
When Brinkema said he was confused, Moussaoui responded, ‘‘I’m not confused, thank you.’’
The judge then told him his only choices were guilty, not guilty, or no contest, and she had ruled out the latter in a previous hearing.
Moussaoui told the judge, ‘‘I don’t have to take advice from you.’’
Brinkema then said, ‘‘I am therefore entering a not guilty plea on your behalf.’’
Moussaoui, who is acting as his own lawyer, had several sharp exchanges before he tried to enter the guilty plea.
After entering the innocent plea, Brinkema asked Moussaoui if he wanted her to set a new trial date to give him more time to prepare. Jury selection now is set to begin on September 30.
Moussaoui said he wanted time to think about it, and the judge suggested that he should consult with court-appointed lawyers who remain in the case despite the judge’s decision to let him represent himself.
‘‘I don’t have to consult with people who want to undermine my defenc,,e,’’ said Moussaoui, who has accused the court-appointed lawyers of seeking to have him executed.
He told the judge, ‘‘Stop this nonsense game you are playing here. I don’t have to take advice from you regarding the way I defend myself.’’
When the judge started to tell Moussaoui, ‘‘All right,’’ he told her in a mocking tone, ‘‘Everything is all right. This is not justice.’’
When she then told him to sit down, he mockingly said, ‘‘Yes yes have a seat.’’
