Fact Check: Three accomplices received sentences up to eight years but avoided prison.

Fact Check: "Three accomplices received sentences up to eight years but avoided prison."

What We Know

The claim that "three accomplices received sentences up to eight years but avoided prison" is misleading. Recent reports indicate that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, and two of his accomplices, Walid bin Attash and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, have agreed to plead guilty to charges of conspiracy and murder. As part of their plea agreements, they are expected to receive life sentences in prison rather than face the death penalty (NPR, NBC News).

In another case, Melvin Asbury and Mark Anthony Oliver received sentences of over five years, while Jamaury Marshall was sentenced to eight years and four months for their involvement in a jewelry store robbery plot (Hoodline). However, these sentences do not pertain to the 9/11 plotters and are unrelated to the claim in question.

Analysis

The claim appears to conflate different cases and misrepresents the outcomes of the legal proceedings involving Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants. The plea agreements reached by Mohammed and his accomplices do not allow them to avoid prison; rather, they ensure that they will serve life sentences in a military prison (NPR).

The sources reporting on the 9/11 case, including NPR and NBC News, are reputable and provide a clear account of the legal developments. They emphasize that the plea deals were made to avoid a lengthy trial and the potential for the death penalty, which indicates a serious legal consequence rather than an avoidance of prison (NPR, NBC News).

In contrast, the case involving Asbury, Oliver, and Marshall is a separate matter and does not relate to the 9/11 attacks. The mention of sentences up to eight years in that context is irrelevant to the claim being evaluated (Hoodline).

Conclusion

The verdict is False. The claim that "three accomplices received sentences up to eight years but avoided prison" misrepresents the legal outcomes for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants, who are set to receive life sentences in prison. Additionally, the mention of sentences related to other individuals involved in a different case does not support the claim.

Fact Check: Three accomplices received sentences up to eight years but avoided prison.