Keep Bernard Madoff Free!

As a retired federal bureau of prisons employee the issue at the moment is if pretrial confinement is proper because it happens to be the law. Given this basic fact of life my question is why give preferential treatment to the defendant that has allegedly stolen 50 billion by allowing him to remain in a 7 million dollar penthouse while the detainee that passed a note at a bank and walked out with $1,000.00 is held until trial? Anyone that had or may still have access to those kind of funds who may well be looking at a sentence that might run past his life expectancy is an automatic flight risk and should be held without bail, just like the dumb lop that passed the note at the bank.

He's got a point. I'm pretty sure that "Innocent until proven guilty" was one of those fundamental principles of U.S. government.

"Yes, thanks to his money, Madoff has managed to stay out of jail while other federal defendants don't. " His money?

Feed him to the people he stole money from and let them do whatever they want with him. I personally think prison is the place for him as he screwed many people out of money and this would be a great opportunity for him to see how it feels to be SCREWED through the back door.

Well said. Pretrial incarceration is too often the rule. If Madoff is tried and found guilty (which he certainly will be if prosecutors do their jobs) he will no doubt serve a lengthy and well-deserved prison sentence. If he is not found guilty, he will still be subject to civil liability that will hound him for the rest of his life (see "OJ Simpson").

hang him in public at high noon when he's found gulity.

Madoff should be hung publicly when found gulity!

No wonder the country is in such a mess - seems that almost all commentators have really lost their moral compass. I assume they would also all argue for justified torture - this hard right "non-think" is exactly why the US is the tragic laughing stock it is today internationally and exactly why Bush and his cronies were allowed to do the incredible damage they now unarguably did.

The argument is NOT about Madoff, but about justice for those too poor to post bail and who consequently go to jail - guilty or not. That is where the potential for incredible injustice sits. No one would argue that a Judge should appropriately weigh the risk to the community before allowing reasonable bail and equally no one should ague against a judge setting reasonable bail for those who pose no risk to the community.

If America is to rightfully regain it status as the leader of the free world it needs to take the moral high road once again and ensure that we don't torture anyone ever for whatever reason, that we don't send people to jail before they're found guilty, that we don't start wars on false information, that we don't support despots for political expedience, that we don't allow a health care system to fail those in need, that we don't let large Corporations and Institutions off the hook for their fiscal misdeeds especially when many of them pay next to no tax, that we look after our wounded soldiers with the best we have - even if the war we sent them to was wrong to begin with, that we deport all illegals who commit a crime (any crime other than being here) and that we don't demonize those illegals who work hard, pay taxes and contribute to the community, that we stop giving money to other countries other than for pure humanitarian purposes until we have solved our own chronic humanitarian issues of poverty and homelessness...and the list could go on....

There's a lot to be proud of and sadly a lot to be ashamed of - this article makes a simple point - equal justice for all - rich or poor - a constitutional right and just the right thing to do - don't get lost in the financial enormity of Madoff's misdeeds - think more of the poor innocent guy whose life is ruined before he even gets to jail - like so many other things it's time for America to show it once again knows the right thing to do.

I think you miss the genius of Billion dollar Bernie. If he shows you what he is doing with his right hand, that means that he has already fooled you with his left. My question is this, why is Bernie always smiling? That smile says more than anything ever said about this con. Bernie knows his weekend is coming, and he's made plans for it.

Has the author of this article been the recipient of some of the jewelry etc. that Madoff has sent to close friends and family? I cannot figure out what is the real impetus for his position. It is clear that Madoff belongs in prison - now.

I agree with Zebedatious. Altho one can make an easy case for the bail system, I believe that in this case, as Madoff is clearly a sgn of the growing greed on WallStreet, and is also a good example of where this capatalist system has gone, I would find it quite fitting to treat him with the utmost discourtesy and contempt. Think of it as a deterrent. After all, isn't that what all punishment is about? To act as a deterrent to all those who would consider a similar act of crime in the future? Let Madoff be the examp[le to all those greedy f**** who are thinking of or are already engaging in this sort of outrageous behavior. The man is a pig of greatest magnitude and I for one am troubled at the sight of this man living in such obscene comfort while awaiting trial. And, is it me or is it quite simple to treat him as any other suspect; if you can't make bail...you go to jail..do not pass go and DO NOT collect the luxury of passing the time in your 10 mil dollar penthouse. The special treatment of this pig is absolutely absurd.

I think you miss the genius of Billion dollar Bernie. If he shows you what he is doing with his right hand, that means that he has already fooled you with his left. My question is this, why is Bernie always smiling? That smile says more than anything ever said about this con. Bernie knows his weekend is coming, and he's made plans for it.

I think you miss the genius of Billion dollar Bernie. If he shows you what he is doing with his right hand, that means that he has already fooled you with his left. My question is this, why is Bernie always smiling? That smile says more than anything ever said about this con. Bernie knows his weekend is coming, and he's made plans for it.

I am as poor as dirt. Madoff robbed from those that will have millions more than me working my entire lifetime. Yet, those people did not deserve to be robbed, nor do I. Madoff has no right to live a privileged life (however short it may be) while he has harmed so many (even if it is temporary - as if he has no chance to win here). Lock him up, throw away the key, don't drop the soap.

You're making the argument that no one should be in jail before conviction. A) That allows a lot of dangerous criminals running around until justice can get their chair ready and B) why on Earth would you pick this guy of all people as your litmus test to such an argument? Pure ridiculousness.

No no, calm down everyone. He should remain free so it "opens the door for much less well-connected people." You know, like when O. J. got acquitted how it opened the door for all those other less well-connected murders to go free. You remember that. Right....