Cuban 5 Snubbed by US Supreme Court

HAVANA TIMES, June 15 — The US Supreme Court rejected a request today to review the case of the Cuban Five, imprisoned already for nearly 11 years for having infiltrated Miami based Cuban exile groups that under the complacent eye of Washington plot illegal actions against Cuba.

The Cubans, considered heroes on the island, were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage and other charges in what many Cuba watchers considered an irregularity-plagued, politically-charged Miami trial back in 2001.

Their change of venue request was rejected and they were given sentences even harsher than requested by the prosecution.

For eight years defense attorneys have appealed the case on numerous grounds including the bias venue, the failure of the prosecution to present evidence, and the exceedingly harsh sentences running from 15 years to double life imprisonment.

For more on the Supreme Court decision and the Cuban Five case see:
http://havanatimes.org/?p=5450
http://www.thecuban5.org/