Conviction of Cuban Five Thrown Out Today by Federal Appellate Court

Today, August 9, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals based in Atlanta reversed a trial court ruling against “the Cuban five” and ordered a new trial with a mandated change of venue for the five Cuban agents arrested in 1998 for conspiring to commit espionage. Fernando González, 41; Rene González (no relation to Fernando), 49; Antonio Guerrero, 46; Gerardo Hernández, 39; and Ramon Labañino, 41, were convicted in Miami before a trial judge and jury whose anti-Castro bona fides was so palpable that it poisoned any resemblance to a fair trial. Since then, indignant civic leaders, both here and abroad, have been pushing for a re-trial in a less biased region of the country.

For more information, see COHA’s May 9, 2005 press release, "Malice, Contradictions and the Lack of Fair Play in the Bush Administration’s War on Terrorism:The Case of the Cuban Five," authored by COHA Research Associate Jorge Esteban.

Memorandum to the Press 05.90

August 9, 2005

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