Activist Lawyer Jailed for Smuggling Msgs

[Aegis]

She faces 20 years for smuggling messages from jailed terrorist
NEW YORK - A veteran civil rights lawyer known for representing radicals and revolutionaries in her 30 years on the New York legal scene has vowed to fight her conviction for smuggling messages of violence from one of her jailed clients to his terrorist disciples.

Lynne Stewart, 65, a firebrand, left-wing activist, was convicted Thursday of conspiracy, providing material support to terrorists, defrauding the government and making false statements.

“It’s a dark day for civil liberties and for civil liberties lawyers in this country,” attorney Ron Kuby said Thursday. “In the post 9-11 era, where dissidents are treated as traitors, it’s perhaps no surprise that a zealous civil rights lawyer becomes a convict.”

Kuby, who briefly represented Omar Abdel-Rahman after the radical Egyptian sheik’s 1993 arrest, said the verdict was a “terrible message to send at a time when we need civil rights lawyers more than ever.”

Defendant insists she is innocent
A tearful Stewart insisted she did nothing wrong after taking over Abdel-Rahman’s case and representing him until her arrest in 2002. The blind cleric was convicted in 1995 of plotting to blow up New York landmarks and assassinate Egypt’s president.

“I hope this is a wake up call to all the citizens of this country,” she said outside court. “You can’t lock up the lawyers.”

Lawyers have said Stewart most likely would face a 20-year sentence. She will remain free on bail but must stay in New York until her July 15 sentencing.

Vowing to appeal, Stewart blamed the verdict on inflammatory evidence that included videotape of Osama bin Laden urging support for the jailed Abdel-Rahman, who prosecutors said communicated with the outside world with Stewart’s help.

“When you put Osama bin Laden in a courtroom and ask the jury to ignore it, you’re asking a lot,” she said.

Other lawyers viewed the verdict as reasonable.

Advocate or accomplice?
“I think lawyers need to be advocates but they don’t need to be accomplices,” said Peter Margulies, a law professor at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island who has studied terrorism cases. “I think the evidence suggested that Lynne Stewart had crossed the line.”

The trial focused on the line between zealous advocacy and criminal behavior by a lawyer. Some defense lawyers saw the case as a government warning to attorneys to tread carefully in terrorism cases.

“The purpose of this prosecution ... was to send a message to lawyers who represent alleged terrorists that it’s dangerous to do so,” said Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, who was not involved in the case.

The jury heard two vastly different portraits of Stewart. Prosecutors described her as an essential and willing aide to terrorists, while defense attorney Michael Tigar focused on a lengthy legal career of representing the destitute and the despised.

The trial before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl began in late June, with prosecutor Christopher Morvillo telling the jury in his opening statement that Stewart “used her status as a lawyer as a cloak to smuggle messages into and out of prison.” He said she allowed Abdel-Rahman, the blind sheik, to “incite terrorism.”

Prosecutors say promise broken
Prosecutors said Stewart broke a promise to the government by letting outsiders communicate with the sheik, who was in solitary confinement under special prison rules designed to stop him from communicating with anyone except his wife and his lawyers.

Tigar suggested the case was an intrusion into attorney-client privilege as the government eavesdropped on prison conversations between Stewart and the sheik.

The anonymous jury, which deliberated 13 days over the past month before convicting Stewart, also convicted a U.S. postal worker, Ahmed Abdel Sattar, of conspiracy for plotting to “kill and kidnap persons in a foreign country” by publishing an edict urging the killing of Jews and their supporters. A third defendant, Arabic interpreter Mohamed Yousry, was convicted of providing material support to terrorists. Sattar could face life in prison and Yousry about 20 years.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6948450/

If she is guilty of smuggling messages (possibly orders?) from a terrorist in prison to his supporters on the outside, why on earth did she not think she would be tossed in prison?

All of her (and her lawyer's) arguments are irrellevant, as well.

“In the post 9-11 era, where dissidents are treated as traitors, it’s perhaps no surprise that a zealous civil rights lawyer becomes a convict.”

Being a zealous civil rights lawyer is perfectly fine, however possibly endangering the lives of thousands of people by leaking messages from a convicted terrorist should be considered criminal. I'm glad they threw her ass into prison. Dissidents are not treated as traitors, either. These people are Grandstanding and it is terribly annoying.

“You can’t lock up the lawyers.”

I love this quote from her. Apparantly, being a lawyer means you should be above the law...

 

[Bozo Erectus]

An accusation was made against her but I havent seen or heard any evidence to support it. But when it comes to terrorism these days, an accusation is all thats necessary to silence or sideline somebody. Its like the McCarthy era.

 

[Aegis]

She was convicted. I would like to see the evidence, as well. The jury deliberated over the course of thirteen days so it was not exactly an open-shut case and they would not have even brought her to trial if they did not have strong evidence.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

I dissent from the American government all the time. Do you see me being thrown in prison? Do you see any criminal allegations being made against me by prosecutors?

No. You know why? Because I'm not breaking any laws. She would do well to learn that little distinction.

 

[Aegis]

I dissent from the American government all the time. Do you see me being thrown in prison? Do you see any criminal allegations being made against me by prosecutors?

No. You know why? Because I'm not breaking any laws. She would do well to learn that little distinction.

*Gives you a medal*

Praise be to you.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

I dissent from the American government all the time. Do you see me being thrown in prison? Do you see any criminal allegations being made against me by prosecutors?

No. You know why? Because I'm not breaking any laws. She would do well to learn that little distinction.

Do we see you fighting the government tooth and nail to defend the rights of a terrorist? No. Maybe thats why you havent been thrown into prison. Im not claiming this woman is innocent. I just havent seen any specific examples so far of what exactly she did that broke the law.

 

[Elrohir]

“You can’t lock up the lawyers.”

Hahaha....so lawyers are above the law? They can't be prosecuted for anything? Man, this women has a serious superiority complex.

 

[MarineCorps]

Do we see you fighting the government tooth and nail to defend the rights of a terrorist?

Not that I have any reason to care that some guy who wants my entire country and everything it stands for destroyed gets his rights violated....

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Not that I have any reason to care that some guy who wants my entire country and everything it stands for destroyed gets his rights violated....

The guy is a filthy animal and should be shot like a rabid dog. Having said that, our constitution, our laws, become meaningless if we dont aplly them equally to all. The most despicable criminal in the world, no matter who he is or what he's done, deserves a fair trial and equal treatment under the law. THEN, and only then, can we shoot him like a dog.

 

[MarineCorps]

The guy is a filthy animal and should be shot like a rabid dog. Having said that, our constitution, our laws, become meaningless if we dont aplly them equally to all. The most despicable criminal in the world, no matter who he is or what he's done, deserves a fair trial and equal treatment under the law. THEN, and only then, can we shoot him like a dog.

The Constitution apllies to Americans only.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

I dont know if he's a citizen, or a resident alien. Either way, he's covered under the Constitution.

 

[Gif Warrior]

The layer client privalege would protect her from what she said to her client. When she talked to others is when she broke the law. I will say that I am going on what I have heard and dont know the specifics of the case.

 

[Perfection]

Alls I know is when I read the thread I thought of a lawyer smuggling a prisoner Chinese takeout.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

The thing is that in terrorism cases, the government can arbitrarily rule that virtually any communication at all is related to terrorism and prosecute. The government can claim that the information is too sensitive and for reasons of national security, cant reveal the message, not even to the judge. So a person can get prosecuted and put in jail, with virtually no evidence, because the government says 'This persons a terrorist, we cant prove it, just trust us'.