Political consultant Roger Stone blasted his trial and conviction on lying to investigators and witness tampering in his first television interview since President Donald Trump commuted his sentence.
During an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" Monday night, Stone said the system was against him from the start.
"This is the most horrible experience you can have, because I see immediately why 99% of the people who choose to plead not guilty and go to trial lose when you're up against the horrific and deep-pocketed resources of the federal government and these really sadistic, arrogant, politically motivated prosecutors," Stone said.
"I had a biased judge. I had a stacked jury. I had a corrupt jury forewoman ... my trial was over before it started."
Stone added that Judge Amy Berman Jackson "ignored all the legal precedents" and sentenced him to 40 months behind bars. Stone was scheduled to report to prison this week before Trump announced the commutation on Friday.
"She ignored my health conditions, she ignored the conditions at the prison at that time, and she ignored the current policies of DOJ and the BOP [Bureau of Prisons]," said Stone, who says he has asthma. "Now, you would have thought that that would have been reversed in the [Washington, D.C.] appeals court, but they ruled for her, 3-0. I'm afraid this is a fixed system."
Stone said he was grateful that Trump stepped in and "saved my life."
"Above all, though, I guess I would have to say the most important thing here is the courageousness of the president's act. I know there were many, many people who told him in an election year, 'Don't do this. Let Roger Stone wait for a pardon after the election.' Sean, I don't think I would have lived that long, not with my asthmatic condition. Not with, now 60 COVID-19 cases in that prison," he said.
"So I have deep affection for Donald Trump because I've known him 40 years. He's a man of great justice and fairness. He's a man of enormous courage. I knew he would take some shots for this, but I think most people, most fair-minded people, understand he saved my life and at least on paper he gave me a chance to fight for vindication."
Jackson is demanding more information about Trump's decision to commute Stone's sentence, including the order itself.
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