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) |
  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 first declaration and here for the second) 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.
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Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace
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