I am sure those factors were taken into consideration by the jury and the judge when Pollard was tried and sentenced. Having just been on a jury involving a murder case, I have confidence in our judicial system.
As for Weinberger's memorandum in the Pollard case, perhaps the time will soon come when it will be declassified so we will be better able to evaluate it in terms of accuracy.
Are you questioning the statement or its factual accuracy?
Meanwhile, I do have a suspicion that the late, black Carter-appointed judge did have an anti-Israel bias - considering his skin color (blacks are statistically far more likely to harbor antisemitic and anti-Israel attitudes than whites) and the biases of the man who appointed him to the federal bench.
Baloney. Pollard was a U.S. Navy intelligence analyst who gave highly classified information to a foreign government. In many ways due to the sensitivity of his position, he is similar to Ames, Hanssen, Brian Reagan, etc. who also received life sentences. Pollard's wife only got 5 years. Defending Pollard is defending the indefensible. His sentencing was not the result of anti-semitism or anti-Israel bias. Pollard does not deserve the hero status he currently enjoys in Israel.
First of all, there is more than one "judicial system" in the country. Every state has its own, consisting several levels of courts. Then the federal government has its system, with 96 districts, 12 circuits, and a SCOTUS. The mere fact that you did sit on a jury in one case and that case may have gone well does not mean that there aren't instances of injustice sometimes perpetrated, especially when you cansider the massive numbers and variety of cases dealt with on all levels and jurisdictions, both criminal and civil.
Are you questioning [Weinberger's] statement or its factual accuracy?
Until such time as Weinberger's memorandum is declassified and made available for public scrutiny, it is perfectly reasonable to question its accuracy, because we don't know its content. Furthermore, we don't even know if Weinberger himself wrote it (probably not) or even approved of it before it went to the court.
Defending Pollard is defending the indefensible.
I am not "defending" Pollard. I do not wish him to receive a pardon, but am suggesting only that his sentence be commuted to time served, becuase I believe that a life sentence in his case was disproportionately harsh.
In many ways, due to the sensitivity of his position, he is similar to Ames, Hannsen [sic], Brian Reagan, etc., who also received life sentences.
As for Ames and Hansen, yes, they shared with Pollard a position with a high level of public trust. But, IIRC, Ames and Hansen had spied for the Soviet Union. That, in general, represents a much higher level of danger to national security than spying for Israel. I am not familiar at all with the Brian Reagan case.