In an editorial published in the print edition of the New York Times, Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, in English and Spanish (appearing online the evening of Sun. Nov. 2), the Editorial Board has called for a prisoner exchange of the three remaining members of the Cuban Five for Alan Gross, who is serving a 15-year sentence in Cuba.
This is a major media breakthrough. Significant in the Editorial’s coverage is the commentary that commuting the Five’s sentences would be “justified considering the lengthy time they have served, the troubling questions about the fairness of their trial, and the potential diplomatic payoff in clearing the way toward a new bilateral relationship.” They urge quick resolution of Alan Gross’s case through such an humanitarian exchange. The article details Gerardo Hernández’s case and the dissenting opinion of federal judge Phyllis Kravitch, who insisted that the government prosecutors failed to prove Gerardo’s guilt on murder conspiracy charges. She was in the original 3-judge panel that overturned the Five’s convictions in 2005. Gerardo was falsely accused and convicted of murder conspiracy. His case and that of Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero are currently on Habeas Corpus appeal.
Continue reading THE NEW YORK TIMES A Prisoner Swap With Cuba By THE EDITORIAL BOARD NOV. 2, 2014
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