Walker argued that the document would put his client in a better light, and that once the public was made aware of its contents, the judge would be moved to be lenient.
But Young, saying he saw nothing helpful to Reid in the document, sided with the government's argument that releasing the document could harm the war on terrorism.
The judge also sparred with Walker over Reid's story that Islam had rescued him from a life of drugs and petty crime.
"He was on the edge of the abyss," Walker said. "Islam kept him from it. He had the good luck to find something he felt saved him."
When Walker suggested that there was no more "personal hatred" in Reid, the judge responded, "Well, we don't tolerate impersonal hatred either."
And when Walker said that there are "millions of people around the world" who hold anti-American views and are not sentenced to prison, the judge shot back, "They don't go around trying to blow up planes."
Reid spoke next, rising to his feet in his sand-colored jail uniform. He gestured about. His tone was soft and his English broken.
"I start by praising Allah because life today is no good," he said. "I admit, I admit my actions and I further, I further state that I done them. I further admit my allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah. OK?"
He told the judge that while he attempted to kill passengers and crew members, "your government has killed 2 million children in Iraq. OK? If you want to think about something, 20 against 2 million, I don't see no comparison. OK?
"Your government has sponsored the rape and torture of Muslims in the prisons of Egypt and Turkey and Syria and Jordan with their money and with their weapons." He conceded that his fate was in the judge's hands, but ended by saying, "I bear witness to Muhammad. This is Allah's message."
He slouched in his chair.
The judge proclaimed: "Mr. Richard C. Reid, harken now to the sentence the court imposes upon you."
He gave him life on three of the charges dealing with a weapon of mass destruction and interfering with crew members and attendants on the flight, which took off from Paris en route to the United States on Dec. 22, 2001.
On the charge of using and carrying a destructive device in relation to a crime of violence, the judge gave Reid 30 years.
On four other charges, dealing with attempted murder and placing the bomb on the aircraft, the judge sentenced Reid to a total of 80 years.
Young further imposed a $2-million fine, and ordered him to pay $298.17 in restitution to flight attendant Andre Bousquet, whom Reid bit on the hand as she tried to subdue him in his window seat.
The judge also levied a $5,784 fine to be paid to American Airlines, and an $800 special court assessment.
"This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes," the judge said. "It is a fair and a just sentence. It is a righteous sentence."
He went on to lambaste Reid as anything but a hero or martyr.
"We are not afraid of any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid," the judge said. "We are Americans. We have been through the fire before.
"You," he added, "are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist
