Update on the Case of the Cuban 5
BY RENE GONZALEZ SEHWERERT
Although it is a hard task to write an update on something that doesn’t change, I’ll attempt to do so through these words, in the hopes of giving the reader an idea of how our legal case stands now.
Let’s go back to May of last year, 2005. A decision was reached then by the Committee on Arbitrary Detentions of the UN Human Rigths Commission, stating that our trial had been held in violation of the international standards of due process, as well as American law. The Committee called on the US Government to remedy such an injustice. No matter the call fell on deaf ears, it was the first time some light was shed on our case.
Three months after another victory was won, when the three-judge panel from the 11th Circuit of Appeals, in Atlanta, decided in our favor by ordering a new trial. The unanimity of the decision and the thoroughness of its 93 pages raised the hopes that an appeal by the prosecutors to the full twelve-judge panel wouldn’t prosper. History then proved logic wrong when the Court of Appeals accepted a rehearing en-banc, vacating the previous decision by the direct appeals panel.
More papers were again exchanged back and forth until every-thing was ready for the hearing on last February the 14th.
According to all accounts the hearing went as well as expected. The defense was able to make its case as to the denial of due process by holding the trial on Miami. It was a test that the defense attorneys passed by answering every question posed by the judges, which can not be said of the way the prosecutors handled the ones posed to them. Again, the hopes were raised that the court would uphold the decision by the three judges, and this time we expect that both logic and law will prevail.
Four months have elapsed since the hearing and no word from the Court of Appeals have been heard. There is no time limit for them to rule and all that can be done is to wait,…and keep the fight!!!
Raising awareness on the case continues to be a priority. It is imperative to break the wall of silence erected around the case by the media until everybody knows of this history of twisted, vindictive “justice”.
On last June the 3rd a little ray of hope broke out when the Washington Post published an article on front page. The writer did a fine job, and the article gave us hope that, on the case of a new trial, the government wont be able to keep the procedures hidden from the public as before.
As for the five of us, we are ready for the fight!!!.
A big hug,
Rene Gonzale Sehwerert
#58738-004
FCI Marianna
P.O. Box 7007
Marianna, FL 32447-7007 USA
Update on the Case of the Cuban 5
by Rene Gonzale Sehwerert
Although it is a hard task to write an update on something that doesn’t change, I’ll attempt to do so through these words, in the hopes of giving the reader an idea of how our legal case stands now.
Let’s go back to May of last year, 2005. A decision was reached then by the Committee on Arbitrary Detentions of the UN Human Rigths Commission, stating that our trial had been held in violation of the international standards of due process, as well as American law. The Committee called on the US Government to remedy such an injustice. No matter the call fell on deaf ears, it was the first time some light was shed on our case.
Three months after another victory was won, when the three-judge panel from the 11th Circuit of Appeals, in Atlanta, decided in our favor by ordering a new trial. The unanimity of the decision and the thoroughness of its 93 pages raised the hopes that an appeal by the prosecutors to the full twelve-judge panel wouldn’t prosper. History then proved logic wrong when the Court of Appeals accepted a rehearing en-banc, vacating the previous decision by the direct appeals panel.
More papers were again exchanged back and forth until every-thing was ready for the hearing on last February the 14th.
According to all accounts the hearing went as well as expected. The defense was able to make its case as to the denial of due process by holding the trial on Miami. It was a test that the defense attorneys passed by answering every question posed by the judges, which can not be said of the way the prosecutors handled the ones posed to them. Again, the hopes were raised that the court would uphold the decision by the three judges, and this time we expect that both logic and law will prevail.
Four months have elapsed since the hearing and no word from the Court of Appeals have been heard. There is no time limit for them to rule and all that can be done is to wait,…and keep the fight!!!
Raising awareness on the case continues to be a priority. It is imperative to break the wall of silence erected around the case by the media until everybody knows of this history of twisted, vindictive “justice”.
On last June the 3rd a little ray of hope broke out when the Washington Post published an article on front page. The writer did a fine job, and the article gave us hope that, on the case of a new trial, the government wont be able to keep the procedures hidden from the public as before.
As for the five of us, we are ready for the fight!!!.
A big hug,
Rene Gonzale Sehwerert
#58738-004
FCI Marianna
P.O. Box 7007
Marianna, FL 32447-7007 USA
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