Monday, November 12, 2007. 12pm Noon. Room 5246.

Attorney Len Weinglass will speak about the case of the Cuban 5. Attorney Weinglass represents Fernando Gonzalez, one of a group of five Cuban nationals in federal prison on espionage charges. The 5 were in the US to monitor Miami-based anti-Castro groups in order to prevent terrorist attacks on Cuba.

They were convicted in a federal court in Miami, but a 3-judge appellate panel overturned the convictions on grounds that the 5 could receive a fair trial in Miami. However, in an unexpected reversal, the 11th Circuit Court vacated the three-judge panel's ruling and granted an "en banc" hearing before the full panel of 12 judges. Exactly one year after the victory that granted the Five a new trial, the panel voted 10 to 2 to deny the Five heroes a new trial, and instead affirmed the trial court.

Attorney Weinglass in a veteran civil rights and criminal defense attorney. He has led several other high-profile cases, including Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Chicago Seven.

If you want more information about the Cuban 5 campaign, see http://www.freethecuban5.com/page3.html or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Five, or hit up the google.