Monaco Seeks Long Jail Term for Safra Nurse (Ted Maher)

AP ^

[Jalapeno]

Monaco Seeks Long Jail Term for Safra Nurse

Mon Dec 2, 6:08 AM ET Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!

MONACO (Reuters) - Monaco's public prosecutor asked a court on Monday to sentence an American male nurse to 12 years in prison for starting a fire that killed billionaire banker Edmond Safra in the Mediterranean haven for the rich and famous.

Defense attorneys for Ted Maher, a former U.S. soldier, were due to wrap up their case later on Monday. The verdict was expected in the evening.

Lebanese-born Safra, a private banker who suffered from Parkinson's disease (news - web sites) and had 24-hour nursing care, suffocated in his bathroom along with a woman nurse as fumes from the blaze engulfed his 20-room penthouse.

Maher, 44, is accused of causing death by arson. He first said two masked intruders had broken in, stabbed him and set fire to the apartment.

He eventually dropped that story and admitted starting the fire himself in an attempt to win praise for rescuing his 67-year-old employer.

His lawyer has said Maher staged a break-in then set fire to a wastebin beneath a smoke detector to set off security alarms so he could appear to rescue Safra, one of the world's richest men. He said Maher wanted to be seen as a hero.

Monaco, a tiny tax-free haven for the rich and famous and dotted with lavish villas and designer shops, is also known for its shadier side. Despite being heavily policed, it is seen as riddled with Mafia-style crime and money laundering.

Scores of police officers guarded the court where 15 lawyers, 53 witnesses, and dozens of experts and translators took part in the trial that opened on November 21.

Maher, who was hired by Safra in August 1999, told the court he considered it his best job ever after stints in the army and in a police academy, as well as time spent as a casino security officer in Las Vegas.

The court heard Maher was paid $600 per day, tax free, with free food and lodging for duties which included taking Safra, who was prone to losing his balance, to the bathroom.

"I liked Mr Safra enormously," Maher said on the trial's opening day. "He was kind and generous, and I did my best to help him and make his day-to-day life easier. I respected him and he respected me."

Maher has been detained for nearly three years by Monaco authorities. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Safra's 65-year-old widow, Lily Safra, is ranked Britain's eighth-richest woman.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

He eventually dropped that story and admitted starting the fire himself in an attempt to win praise for rescuing his 67-year-old employer.

Doh?

[TLBSHOW]

ping

[E.G.C.]

Thanks, TLBSHOW for the bump.

MONACO, FREE TED MAHER NOW!!!!!!!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[drjimmy]

MONACO, FREE TED MAHER NOW!!!!!!!
Why?

[Stingray51]

Why free him if he has admitted starting the fire? I understand that the Monaco police didn't let the rescue workers through but nonetheless if Ted Maher is admitting that he intentionally started the fire, then he is admitting to arson which caused, regardless of his intentions, the deaths of two people. In the U.S., those facts would convict him of murder and most likely land him life in prison if not the needle.

Or are you saying his confession was coerced?

[firewalk]

Thank you TLB....bump!

[maestro]

Thanks for the 'ping'.

Sentence!?..............Please,...NOT even 12 minutes.

Monaco:....please,....no more room # '101'........techniques.

Please,.........Absolute MERCY!

Amen,........More Grace and MERCY,.......In Jesus' Precious Name, Amen!!!

5763

[E.G.C.]

Look, I'm going to sit here and waste my time with a bunch of troublemakers and seminar posters trying to convince everyone about this man's innocence.

I've read all the information about this case and what it tells me is that this is an innocent man who is being punished for a crime he DID NOT commit.

I would suggest to everyone that you go visit the Ted Maher threads and read about this case. Whether anyone likes me saying it or not this is an innocent man who's being held against his will and I'm not going to listen to anymore B.S. or C.F. from anybody saying otherwise.

You people saying he's guilty have obviously not done your homework on this. I have.
regards.

[philosofy123]

I don't understand who in the heck is Safra or Maher? And Why they are important to a political forum like ours? Are these people supposed to be spies? are they terrorists, or victims of terrorisism?

[Stingray51]

So post a link

[TLBSHOW]

ok try this one.......

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/650151/posts?page=2198#2198

[E.G.C.]

Ted Maher Thread

[Stingray51]

Thanks. Unfortunately, the threads do not seem to be very coherently organized in terms of explaining exactly what Mr. Maher's defenders believe happened. Which is unfortunate because not everyone has several hours to read the thousands of posts. I think it would be helpful if somebody came up with a Reader's Digest version of the key facts and allegations.

Anyway, I did catch the allegation that his confession came as a result of torture.

[E.G.C.]

Right, well I understand. The way I read it was that this confession was coerced out of him. But the link that TLBSHOW Provided before my post should give you an overall idea of the situation.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I don't know what kind of world you live in where you want arsonists and murderers to run free.

[E.G.C.]

MONACO IS A POLICE STATE!!!!!!BOYCOTT MONACO!!!!!!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

You know the bigger the Font the Bigger the Fool.