The Iraqi journalist who was originally sentenced to three years imprisonmant for throwing a shoe at George W. Bush will spend only one year in jail.Muntadher al-Zaidi's lawyer said on Tuesday that an appeal court had reduced his client's jail term to one year, after a Baghdad court on March 12 convicted al-Zaidi of assault.
Defense lawyer Dhiya al-Saadi said the appeal court's decision to reduce al-Zaidi's sentence was based on several factors."They considered his motives, the fact that he is still a young man and he had no previous criminal record," he stated.
During court proceedings, al-Zaidi expressed how he felt the blood of innocent people was dropping on his feet while Bush was smiling and coming to say bye-bye to Iraq with a dinner.
"So I took the first shoe and threw it but it did not hit him. Then spontaneously I took the second shoe but it did not hit him either. I was not trying to kill the commander of the occupation forces of Iraq."
Al-Zaidi's family has been critical of the court's verdict and harsh sentencing and one family member said, "We all feel it's a victory, but felt he shouldn't have been being imprisoned at all."
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