[Ppnews] Committe and legal statements - Cuba 5

Tue Aug 9 14:27:32 EDT 2005

Announcement from the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five

Today, August 9, after more than one year of weighing the
evidence, the 11th Circuit Court of a Appeals vacated the
trial court's ruling against the Cuban Five and ordered a
new trial with a change of venue. This is a sensational
victory for the Five, the Cuban people, and the
international people's movement that supports them! The
Five will now receive a new trial in a place other than
Miami. This blow to the U.S. government undeniably was made
possible by the hard work and growing support of
progressive, justice-loving people in the U.S. and all over
the world.

The National Committee to Free the Cuban Five is holding a
telephone press conference today with the Five's attorney,
Leonard Weinglass, the coordinator of the National
Committee to Free the Cuban Five, Gloria La Riva,
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition Coordinator, Brian Becker, and other
activists and legal experts to discuss this landmark
victory. We will send more information as soon as we have
it. In the meantime, call 323-464-1636 with questions.

The Five are one big step closer to freedom. Let's continue
the struggle and ensure total victory. Free the Cuban Five!
U.S. Hands Off Cuba!

Volverán! They will return!
National Committee to Free the Cuban Five

For more info call 323-464-1636 or e-mail 
<mailto:freethefivela at yahoo.com>freethefivela at yahoo.com.

The convictions of the Cuban Five have been overturned
by the federal appellate court in Atlanta, Georgia.

The request for change of venue has been granted and
the case is being sent back for retrial OUTSIDE MIAMI.
This is what the defense campaign has always sought

There will be a news conference in San Francisco
at the offices of FREE THE FIVE at 10:00 AM today.

Speakers:

Gloria LaRiva, Free The Five
Leonard Weinglass, Attorney for Gerardo Hernandez
Richard Klugh, Attorney from Public Defenders Office
     Miami, Florida.

More details as soon as we have them.

NOTE THIS FROM ATTORNEY LEONARD WEINGLASS

During the trial, the attorneys for the Five requested a
change of venue from Miami to another city five times. The
judge denied each request. In December 2001, two of the
Five were sentenced to life in prison, one to 19 years, and
one, to 15 years. Gerardo Hernandez received two life
terms.

Why is it not possible for Cuban nationals like the
Five to receive a fair trial in Miami ? What role do
anti-Cuban terrorists play?

Miami is the one city in the US where the Five
certainly could not receive a fair trial. There are
approximately 650,000 Cubans who live there in exile.
They control the local press and the media, they occupy the
public offices, and they are the major business figures in
the area. These individuals and institutions are highly
influential, and they all have one thing in common: they
take a hard line on Cuba . Miami is a different place than
every other city in the US . A portion of the exile
community has engaged in terrorism against Cuba for
decades. Violence against Cuba is heralded in small, but
vocal, circles in Miami . For instance, in Miami , the
terrorist Orlando Bosch walks the streets a free man. The
US Justice Department once labeled Bosch the most dangerous
terrorist in the Western Hemisphere . He was responsible
for bombing a Cuban passenger airline in mid-flight in
1976, killing all 73 passengers on board. Hard-line exiles
and their supporters play a large role in shaping public
opinion and debate in Miami . To try the Five in Miami was
a clear violation of their right to have a trial free of
outside influences that were prejudiced against them. The
venue of the trial should have been moved out of Miami to
another location.

DETAILS
<http://makeashorterlink.com/?W23F3249B>http://makeashorterlink.com/?W23F3249B

VOLVERAN!  They will return!
Free The Five!

The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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