The Atlanta Court said there was too much Anti-Communism and Anti-Castro Prejudice in Miami for the accused “Cuban 5” to get a fair trial. The five were convicted of being Cuban spies in 2001!
This will make many of the Che supporters happy today!
Antonio Guerrero, Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert, Fernando Gonzalez (Ruben Campa), Gerardo Hernandez, and Ramon Labanino (Luis Medina) may be released soon. The men admitted to being spies, but said they were trying to prevent attacks on Cuban President Fidel Castro’s government. They said they had not been targeting the United States.
A Court in Atlanta overturned the ruling against 5 men convicted of being Cuban spies.
The ruling means that the defendants’ life sentences are overturned. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ordered a new trial after agreeing with defense attorneys who argued that prejudice against Fidel Castro and his communist government in Miami impeded them from getting a fair trial, which resulted in convictions in 2001.
”The entire community is sensitive to and permeated by concerns for the Cuban exile population in Miami,” the judges said in a 93-page opinion. “A new trial was mandated by the perfect storm created when the surge of pervasive community sentiment and extensive publicity both before and during the trial merged with the improper prosecutorial references.”
Lawyers for the five men — Ruben Campa, Rene Gonzalez, Gerardo Hernandez, Luis Medina and Antonio Guerrero — cheered the court’s decision.
”It’s unusual decision to reverse and remand a case because the venue is considered prejudicial,” McKenna said. “In the last page of the order, they say they know this order will be very unpopular in Miami’s exile community.”
HERE is the court decision.
Hat Tip Nohemi
Babalu is already on the story!
U.S. Women & Cuba Collaboration were no doubt ecstatic with the decision today. The group glorifies Castro’s Cuba and believes among other things that:
* Cuba is not a serious case of prostitution or illicit trafficking of women and children, the United States is.
* Support of Free the Five “political prisoners”
* Support the FMC to defend the Cuban Revolution that has made and makes possible womens(?) achievements.
Cuba hailed the decision yesterday where the prisoners are viewed as heros:
“It is an important first step that confirms what we have been trying to tell the world about the injustice of this case,” a parliament member told the Associated Press news agency.
The defense team were equally as ecstatic.
“It’s been a very long seven years for us with a lot of twists and turns and I have to say that there were many times when I doubted the outcome,” Hernandez’s attorney, Paul McKenna, told AP. “But I have new faith in the court of appeals and in the system of law.
