Saturday, November 22, 2014

Rasmea Odeh Supporters Petition Court to Reconsider Bond Denial

The National Lawyers Guild filed an amicus brief this week to petition the court in Rasmea Odeh's trial to reconsider its decision to deny bond to the prominent Chicago-Palestinian community leader pending sentencing in March of next year. On November 10th, Odeh was convicted in a federal court of "unlawful procurement of naturalization" in a case her supporters call a politically motivated witch hunt. The Rasmea National Defense Committee plans to appeal the verdict, which could entail up to ten years in prison and deportation upon release for the 67-year-old activist. But in the meantime the committee says its priority is getting Odeh out of jail, where she was placed immediately following the verdict. KPFA's Andrew Klein has more.