(part of an email received from a supporter of Lynne Stewart)
In 1995, Lynne Stewart was appointed by a federal court to
represent the blind Egyptian cleric Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, who was accused of
conspiring to blow up New York landmarks. She became co-counsel with
former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and renowned civil liberties attorney
Abdeen Jabaar.
Despite Lynne Stewart having marshaled evidence demonstrating the innocence of her client, and pointing indisputably to the hand of the government in the plots attributed to her client, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment plus 65 years!
Special Administrative Measures (SAMS) were imposed, violating first, fifth and sixth amendment rights of defendants and attorneys alike.
Despite Lynne Stewart having marshaled evidence demonstrating the innocence of her client, and pointing indisputably to the hand of the government in the plots attributed to her client, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment plus 65 years!
Special Administrative Measures (SAMS) were imposed, violating first, fifth and sixth amendment rights of defendants and attorneys alike.
These measures placed severe restrictions on any communication of Sheikh
Omar Abdel Rahman communication with the outside world.
On April 9, 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft made an unprecedented appearance on the Late Night Show of David Letterman, a nationally viewed entertainment talk-show, to announce that the Justice Department was prosecutIng Lynne Stewart for providing "material aid to a terrorist organization."
On April 9, 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft made an unprecedented appearance on the Late Night Show of David Letterman, a nationally viewed entertainment talk-show, to announce that the Justice Department was prosecutIng Lynne Stewart for providing "material aid to a terrorist organization."
This "material aid" was her own person and her function as defense
attorney. The "material aid" consisted of a Press Release conveying the views of
the Sheikh and given to a Reuter's correspondent - an action protected by the
first amendment and the free speech rights of Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and Lynne
Stewart alike.
The Justice Department of George Bush and of Barack Obama prosecuted Lynne Stewart and demanded 30 years in prison. This attack upon due process and basic democratic rights was aimed at every attorney in the United States. The intent was and remains to destroy democratic rights and protections that date to Magna Carta.
Lynne Stewart was railroaded to prison in a show trial evocative of the era of Joseph Stalin. Broad public protest caused presiding Judge John Koetl to declare Lynne Stewart "an asset to the nation" while sentencing her to 28 months in federal prison.
The Justice Department of George Bush and of Barack Obama prosecuted Lynne Stewart and demanded 30 years in prison. This attack upon due process and basic democratic rights was aimed at every attorney in the United States. The intent was and remains to destroy democratic rights and protections that date to Magna Carta.
Lynne Stewart was railroaded to prison in a show trial evocative of the era of Joseph Stalin. Broad public protest caused presiding Judge John Koetl to declare Lynne Stewart "an asset to the nation" while sentencing her to 28 months in federal prison.
Pressed by the Justice Department, the Appellate Court, breaking precedent,
directed Judge Koetl to increase her sentence drastically, to revoke her bail
and remand her to prison despite the fact that Lynne Stewart had the right to
appeal her conviction to the Supreme Court.
Judge Koetl, yielding to this immense pressure, increased his original 28
month sentence to ten years. This has become, effectively, a death sentence for
Lynne Stewart. Urgent surgery was delayed 18 months by the prison authorities.
Her breast cancer, in remission before imprisonment, metastasized and spread to
her lymph nodes, bones and lungs.
... We must mobilize world opinion to stop the judicial and
political murder of Lynne Stewart ...
The campaign to save the life of Lynne Stewart is a first line of defense against a ruling class rapidly destroying the rights obtained through generations of struggle as a ruthless system prepares to subjugate us all.
The campaign to save the life of Lynne Stewart is a first line of defense against a ruling class rapidly destroying the rights obtained through generations of struggle as a ruthless system prepares to subjugate us all.
WE CALL UPON ALL TO SIGN THE PETITION NOW TO SAVE LYNNE STEWART
Click on this url
link to sign the petition:
