The Site:
http://cnn.com/US/9909/07/faln.clemency.02/
The article:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>12 Puerto Rican nationalists agree to clemency condition
Accepted clemency/sentence:
Edwin Cortes, 35 years
Elizam Escobar, 60 years
Ricardo Jimenez, 90 years
Adolfo Matos, 70 years
Dylcia Pagan, 55 years
Alberto Rodriguez, 35 years
Alicia Rodriguez, 55 years
Ida Luz Rodriguez, 75 years
Luis Rosa, 75 years
Alejandrina Torres, 35 years
Carmen Valentin, 90 years
Accepted clemency, but must serve 5 more years:
Juan Segarra Palmer, 55 years
Refused clemency/sentence:
Oscar Lopez Rivera, 55 years
Carlos Alberto Torres, 70 years
Source: The Associated Press
September 7, 1999
Web posted at: 8:42 p.m. EDT (0042 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this story:
2 prisoners reject offer
Attorney: Mobilizing protection for prisoners
Political controversy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO (CNN) -- Twelve of the 16 convicted members of the Puerto Rican nationalist group FALN have accepted a conditional offer of clemency from President Clinton, their lawyer said Tuesday afternoon.
"We think this is an unprecedented, historic moment," attorney Jan Susler said, "that the president of the United States could recognize that men and women who have dedicated their lives to the freedom of their country deserve to be free ... to participate in the political, legal process to shape the future of their country."
The dozen prisoners -- 11 of whom are eligible for immediate release -- signed papers renouncing violence to achieve political goals and agreed as a condition of parole to sever ties with FALN.
The 12th prisoner who signed the papers will not be eligible for release until he serves five more years at a federal prison in Florida, Susler said.
2 prisoners reject offer
Two imprisoned FALN members rejected the offer of clemency. Two others who are already out of jail would have their fines reduced as part of the clemency offer. They have until 5 p.m. EDT Friday to accept the deal.
The White House had earlier issued a statement saying: "The president expects all those who accept the conditional clemency grant to abide fully by its terms, including refraining from the use or advocacy of the use of violence for any purpose and obeying all the statutory conditions of parole."
The prohibition on associating with one another is a common condition of parole, and authorities said if these prisoners violate their parole, the charges will be reinstated against them.
Attorney: Mobilizing protection for prisoners
The FBI and Justice Departments "have said pointblank that the president should not have granted clemency," but it would be unwise for federal authorities to harass, intimidate or set up the prisoners after they are released, Susler said.
"Because they have showed us their hand and showed us they will not be unbiased, objective law enforcement, we have taken it upon ourselves to mobilize protection for the prisoners and watchdog groups who will be watching the people responsible for enforcing the conditions," Susler said.
The Armed Forces of National Liberation, known by its Spanish initials FALN, claimed responsibility or was blamed for 130 bombings, mostly in New York and Chicago, in the 1970s and early 1980s.
None of the 16 at the heart of the clemency offer was convicted in any of the bombings. They were convicted on a variety of charges, ranging from bomb-making and conspiracy to armed robbery, and given sentences ranging from 35 to 90 years. The activists already have served between 14 to 19 years in prison.
The group wants Puerto Rico to be able to end its status as a U.S. territory and create an independent country.
Political controversy
The clemency offer was controversial to begin with. Some New York politicians and law enforcement groups criticized the president as being lenient to terrorists.
Others suggested Clinton took the action to help his wife, who is planning to run for the U.S. Senate from New York, court support among New York's Puerto Rican and larger Hispanic community.
The White House insisted politics played no part in the decision and made the distinction that none of those offered clemency was involved in FALN bombings linked to major injuries.
The controversy took another turn over the weekend when first lady Hillary Clinton called on her husband to withdraw the clemency offer, saying the failure of the 16 to immediately accept the conditions suggested they were not prepared to renounce violence.
Some Democrats, including the senator Hillary Clinton would replace, Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan, had called the clemency deal a bad idea.
But now that the first lady has spoken out, Democrats who cheered the clemency deal are calling her a turncoat.
"I am disappointed. I am angry," Rep. Jose Serrano (D-New York) said. "And frankly, I view her and her candidacy differently after reading reports of her comments and actions. I would be a hypocrite if I did not."
[/quote]
------------------
John/az
"The middle of the road between the extremes of good and evil, is evil. When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!
www.quixtar.com
referal #2005932
http://cnn.com/US/9909/07/faln.clemency.02/
The article:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>12 Puerto Rican nationalists agree to clemency condition
Accepted clemency/sentence:
Edwin Cortes, 35 years
Elizam Escobar, 60 years
Ricardo Jimenez, 90 years
Adolfo Matos, 70 years
Dylcia Pagan, 55 years
Alberto Rodriguez, 35 years
Alicia Rodriguez, 55 years
Ida Luz Rodriguez, 75 years
Luis Rosa, 75 years
Alejandrina Torres, 35 years
Carmen Valentin, 90 years
Accepted clemency, but must serve 5 more years:
Juan Segarra Palmer, 55 years
Refused clemency/sentence:
Oscar Lopez Rivera, 55 years
Carlos Alberto Torres, 70 years
Source: The Associated Press
September 7, 1999
Web posted at: 8:42 p.m. EDT (0042 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this story:
2 prisoners reject offer
Attorney: Mobilizing protection for prisoners
Political controversy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO (CNN) -- Twelve of the 16 convicted members of the Puerto Rican nationalist group FALN have accepted a conditional offer of clemency from President Clinton, their lawyer said Tuesday afternoon.
"We think this is an unprecedented, historic moment," attorney Jan Susler said, "that the president of the United States could recognize that men and women who have dedicated their lives to the freedom of their country deserve to be free ... to participate in the political, legal process to shape the future of their country."
The dozen prisoners -- 11 of whom are eligible for immediate release -- signed papers renouncing violence to achieve political goals and agreed as a condition of parole to sever ties with FALN.
The 12th prisoner who signed the papers will not be eligible for release until he serves five more years at a federal prison in Florida, Susler said.
2 prisoners reject offer
Two imprisoned FALN members rejected the offer of clemency. Two others who are already out of jail would have their fines reduced as part of the clemency offer. They have until 5 p.m. EDT Friday to accept the deal.
The White House had earlier issued a statement saying: "The president expects all those who accept the conditional clemency grant to abide fully by its terms, including refraining from the use or advocacy of the use of violence for any purpose and obeying all the statutory conditions of parole."
The prohibition on associating with one another is a common condition of parole, and authorities said if these prisoners violate their parole, the charges will be reinstated against them.
Attorney: Mobilizing protection for prisoners
The FBI and Justice Departments "have said pointblank that the president should not have granted clemency," but it would be unwise for federal authorities to harass, intimidate or set up the prisoners after they are released, Susler said.
"Because they have showed us their hand and showed us they will not be unbiased, objective law enforcement, we have taken it upon ourselves to mobilize protection for the prisoners and watchdog groups who will be watching the people responsible for enforcing the conditions," Susler said.
The Armed Forces of National Liberation, known by its Spanish initials FALN, claimed responsibility or was blamed for 130 bombings, mostly in New York and Chicago, in the 1970s and early 1980s.
None of the 16 at the heart of the clemency offer was convicted in any of the bombings. They were convicted on a variety of charges, ranging from bomb-making and conspiracy to armed robbery, and given sentences ranging from 35 to 90 years. The activists already have served between 14 to 19 years in prison.
The group wants Puerto Rico to be able to end its status as a U.S. territory and create an independent country.
Political controversy
The clemency offer was controversial to begin with. Some New York politicians and law enforcement groups criticized the president as being lenient to terrorists.
Others suggested Clinton took the action to help his wife, who is planning to run for the U.S. Senate from New York, court support among New York's Puerto Rican and larger Hispanic community.
The White House insisted politics played no part in the decision and made the distinction that none of those offered clemency was involved in FALN bombings linked to major injuries.
The controversy took another turn over the weekend when first lady Hillary Clinton called on her husband to withdraw the clemency offer, saying the failure of the 16 to immediately accept the conditions suggested they were not prepared to renounce violence.
Some Democrats, including the senator Hillary Clinton would replace, Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan, had called the clemency deal a bad idea.
But now that the first lady has spoken out, Democrats who cheered the clemency deal are calling her a turncoat.
"I am disappointed. I am angry," Rep. Jose Serrano (D-New York) said. "And frankly, I view her and her candidacy differently after reading reports of her comments and actions. I would be a hypocrite if I did not."
[/quote]
------------------
John/az
"The middle of the road between the extremes of good and evil, is evil. When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!
www.quixtar.com
referal #2005932