[Peace-discuss] Dr. Sami Al-Arian is Issued Maximum Sentence by Judge

[David Green]

"During the course of his tirade, Moody  resorted to
name-calling and personal insults. His vitriolic
speech  reflected an extreme bias against the Arab and
Muslim community and a myopic view of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict."

Dr. Sami Al-Arian is Issued Maximum Sentence by Judge

From: -[TBCJP]- 

_tampabayjustice at yahoo.com_
(mailto:tampabayjustice at yahoo.com) 

For Immediate Release

Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice  and Peace

May 1, 2006

Judge Rejects Jury Verdict and Prosecution's 
Recommendation,

Issues Maximum Sentence


TAMPA- At a sentencing hearing  this morning at the
U.S. federal courthouse in Tampa, a judge issued Dr. 
Sami Al-Arian a maximum sentence of 57 months, despite
recommendations by  both government and defense
attorneys to give him the low end of the  sentence or
46 months. 

Before the sentencing, Dr. Al-Arian's  attorney, Linda
Moreno, made a passionate appeal for the judge to
order Dr.  Al-Arian's immediate release and
deportation on the basis of time-served:  the 38
months he has been in prison, most of which were spent
in solitary  confinement under the most punitive
conditions. 

Dr. Al-Arian could  have been released as early as May
23 under the low-end of the sentence. The  maximum
adds another 10 months.

Moreno also asked that the judge, James  Moody, enter
into the public record dozens of letters that were
sent on  behalf of Dr. Al-Arian from family members,
students, colleagues and  supporters worldwide, 
urging him to give Dr. Al-Arian the minimum sentence. 


Among the letters she cited is one by a prominent
Israeli academic, who wrote that Dr. Al-Arian is
"genuinely committed to bring peace and  justice to
his and my country." 

In his eloquent address to the court,  Dr. Al-Arian
said: "This process affirmed my belief in the true
meaning of a  democratic society, in which the
independence of the judiciary, the  integrity 
of the jury system, and the system of checks and
balances are  upheld, despite intense political and
public  pressures."

Unfortunately, in his remarks before the sentencing,
Judge  Moody showed contempt for the jury process.
None of his accusations, which  were unequivocally
rejected by the jury, appear anywhere in the actual 
plea agreement for which Dr. Al-Arian was being
sentenced, or in the  pre-sentencing report issued by
a probation officer. He regurgitated long  disproven
accusations by the prosecution and even rehashed a
charge by a  previously discredited FBI informant. 

During the course of his tirade, Moody  resorted to
name-calling and personal insults. His vitriolic
speech  reflected an extreme bias against the Arab and
Muslim community and a myopic  view of the 
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

On a day when all sides  expected a swift and final
resolution to this painful chapter, the judge  ensured
Dr. Al-Arian's and his family's continued suffering
and sparked  outrage by friends, 
colleagues and supporters. Following the vindictive 
display, many experienced lawyers and legal experts
said they had never seen  a judge carry himself in
such an unscrupulous manner. 

Furthermore,  the draconian sentence by the judge
caused a significant setback in the  civil rights
struggle for Arab and Muslim Americans. It was also
the latest  contribution to the deepening rift 
between the U.S. and the Muslim world at  a time when
dialogue and understanding are needed. 

One supporter on  the courthouse steps said: "He truly
represented the worst of America  today."



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