Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace

May 26, 2005
Dr. Al-Arian Denied Change of Venue

Tampa—

Earlier this week, Dr. Sami Al-Arian was denied a change of venue in his case, despite providing strong evidence that 10 years of biased, inflammatory media coverage by the Tampa Tribune has prejudiced potential jurors in Florida—and Tampa in particular. Surveys in the Tampa Bay area have shown a widespread bias against Dr. Al-Arian and Palestinians in general.

Obviously biased jurors such as a woman who said she is a fundraiser for Hadassah (The Women’s Zionist Organization for America), were kept in the jury pool despite defense objections. Defense lawyers ultimately had to use one of their strikes to remove the woman from the pool. A recent article in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz validated their concerns: It revealed that Hadassah will provide housing for 100 Israelis who will testify for the prosecution in the trial.

Jurors’ inability to be fair was especially clear during three days of questioning last week, when the overwhelming majority of those questioned made biased and overtly racist statements against Dr. Al-Arian, Muslims and Palestinians. Last fall, candidates in a Florida senate campaign also smeared Dr. Al-Arian’s name, discussing his case without giving him the presumption of innocence. Many potential jurors said the inflammatory campaign ads featuring Dr. Al-Arian helped form their opinions on the case. Indeed, if there were ever a case in which a change of venue is warranted, this is it.

About the decision to deny a change in venue, Dr. Al-Arian’s lawyer, William Moffitt said: “I am extremely disappointed. This is probably the first time that I will go into a case believing that my client is not presumed innocent.”

Defense lawyers cannot appeal the ruling until the trial, which is scheduled to begin on June 6, is over.

We encourage as many people as possible to attend the trial to showsupport. Email tampabayjustice@yahoo.com for details.