[Ppnews] Sami Al-Arian: Judge agrees with defense as he enters his 7th year

[Political Prisoner News]

Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace

www.FreeSamiNow.com  
[http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102470010094&e=0016-ChsbylC87GA1morrwKubtxvpcE1QZtkejtv6cxRutobG0HUsrOx6PZG5PjuH-Oyg0xCPYzMI7QvcfmdbDzDgQS_g5GVDY9Edf2hcbmNg9Zotsa0_Dkvw==]
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Judge Agrees with Defense: 2006 Plea Negotiations Should be Revisited
Dr. Al-Arian's Saga Enters Its 7th Year

February 20, 2009 -Alexandria, VA - At a pre-trial hearing today,  
federal judge
Leonie Brinkema denied a government motion requesting her to  
reconsider a previous ruling. At the last hearing, Judge Brinkema  
ruled that the government must provide information to the defense and  
the court regarding the original 2006 plea negotiations between the  
Department of Justice and Dr. Al-Arian's attorneys.

This latest hearing in Dr. Al-Arian's criminal contempt case marked  
the sixth anniversary of his arrest in Florida in 2003. *(for a very  
brief overview of the trial and plea negotiations, please see end of  
this press release)
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Prior to the hearing, Dr. Al-Arian's attorneys submitted at least four  
declarations detailing the 2006 plea negotiations, and asserting the  
fact that non-cooperation was at the heart of the deal.

Yesterday, the defense submitted the latest two detailed declarations  
(click here for the  
[http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102470010094&e=0016-ChsbylC85mGpKz8UIJ94AB9RoH1HyRdzclXtf5ViHYUW9yxNAUToUpn7f_qJiFPpt-TrXC97IDil9YYpk5AjKipWXNsRNuyl6kiyOVSxXmBZ9g_ROj1mG3awv2RFDGNvBvgZ0cKWZpZRvNG16rBViItHcQlx4EsvYLcvnV-_Q9OdFtZtYSZXPGjmMDHkoEGJWz2DiSHchG1Eq3wtBT4cKHX2C4A5OYG2ldjPKB_h_TJr-BcZa3b--XdWn5eYO8QcsokD-hAI9XY8I7o33mB1aboFOYk2yy7ehguDjjNd0BQZtif3NvVOi_2oFRYuw3]

first declaration  
[http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102470010094&e=0016-ChsbylC85mGpKz8UIJ94AB9RoH1HyRdzclXtf5ViHYUW9yxNAUToUpn7f_qJiFPpt-TrXC97IDil9YYpk5AjKipWXNsRNuyl6kiyOVSxXmBZ9g_ROj1mG3awv2RFDGNvBvgZ0cKWZpZRvNG16rBViItHcQlx4EsvYLcvnV-_Q9OdFtZtYSZXPGjmMDHkoEGJWz2DiSHchG1Eq3wtBT4cKHX2C4A5OYG2ldjPKB_h_TJr-BcZa3b--XdWn5eYO8QcsokD-hAI9XY8I7o33mB1aboFOYk2yy7ehguDjjNd0BQZtif3NvVOi_2oFRYuw3]

and here for the second  
[http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102470010094&e=0016-ChsbylC872QFMwcUNH_iverStgxg-0y-4ePg1FyfkBGxb6DgZI611tZhJsi-_h9fvcfySbcQyAh-eAixzmDxyPmAbZXqQwTtDNXY6CMsrmF0FBut6S413pu8NuisD4eS_AoYxCS-zYFdeLikBvUFpvES0ds8obfvn_brOOSw7mXzqqMijRJe0gVoNaQjcjv0GaBKhZu3u7ZEzJLz5-s2mi_o85pRLBf5daPYAh3QG2xfAueAA6cKBvJQI1q3MGTg4K_XUguJWqaEHqGGaHmX_gGF_Bpfwz5RoOZsMrT_SLwajq_GEcDA==])

by Dr. Al-Arian's attorneys from the 2005 trial, Bill Moffitt and  
Linda Moreno.

As these declarations reveal, the issue of cooperation was indeed  
central to the
negotiations. The possibility of avoiding a trial or - later, after  
the trial was held - reducing Dr. Al-Arian's sentence if he cooperated  
was even broached by government prosecutors. In both instances, Dr.  
Al-Arian rejected those offers.

Read more  
[http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102470010094&e=0016-ChsbylC87pXOUrsJ3aXDw0MdLRAWqOGsrhY3ufaVqb5IZYYG9DUkRbDNdcHZi11MHoQehlW_BKP3iozcWsIqgIqR8H6AHQTT208uu0wNaD9lr6msSvmKI5qOK1VutXKVCOny9WN3UgCredOArkkns1HYl8D64sark3aNsJJrENzXLshNkUGs7s-uB8iXiYzbB4PzD4uDs=]