Murder Accusations Hang Over Silk Road Boss Ulbricht's Sentencing

Posted by timothy on Thursday May 28, 2015 @09:51AM from the prison-break-blockbuster-in-the-works dept.

Patrick O'Neill writes: Ross Ulbricht has never been tried for murder. But tomorrow, when the convicted Silk Road creator is sentenced to prison, murder will be on the mind of the judge. Despite never filing murder-for-hire charges, New York federal prosecutors have repeatedly pushed for harsh sentencing because they say Ulbricht solicited multiple murders. The judge herself recently referred to Ulbricht's "commission of murders-for-hire" in a letter about the sentencing, painting an even grimmer picture of Ulbricht's sentencing prospects.

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Ground for appeal? by Harlequin80 · 2015-05-28 10:02 · Score: 4, Interesting

IANAL & IANA (I am not American) but aren't you meant to be sentenced based on what crime you are convicted of? Seriously the QLD Chief Justice (Highest Judge in QLD) withdrew from an appeals hearing of a convicted child abuser & murderer because he had had a meeting with someone who lobbied for harsher sentences for child molesters.
If the sentencing judge references other non-case related matters surely that would affect the standing of the ruling and open up appeals?