Tony Mauro at BLT and Lyle Denniston at SCOTUSblog have posts on the certiorari petition in "Cuban 5" case. The petitioners are represented by SCOTUSblog's Tom Goldstein. The petition says:
There is also a Batson issue.
The common elements to every charge against petitioners were that each was an agent of the Castro government and that each had attempted to infiltrate organizations dedicated to overthrowing that government, actions that were tied to the deaths of four civilians. Petitioners argued that they could not receive a fair trial in Miami because of the uniquely pervasive and severe anti-Castro hostility in that community....If pervasive and severe political hostility in the jurisdiction entitles the defendant to a change of venue, then no Republican official can ever be tried in the District of Columbia. Perhaps Scooter Libby should file an amicus brief.
There is also a Batson issue.

Leave a comment