Constitutional Law

4th Circuit Upholds Moussaoui Guilty Plea & Life Term in 9/11 Attacks

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A federal appeals court has affirmed the conviction and life sentence for co-conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, despite claims that he didn’t receive a fair trial concerning his guilty plea to six criminal conspiracy charges in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“Moussaoui, having pled guilty, has waived all nonjurisdictional errors leading up to his conviction except those affecting the adequacy of his plea,” states a three-judge panel of the Richmond, Va.-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in its opinion (PDF) today.

Moussaoui represented himself at trial against the advice of the judge and the lawyers who earlier served as his counsel, notes a CNN report on the decision.

His current lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment, the Washington Post reports.

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