Lynne Stewart: Bittersweet Week and the Future

Email for us from Lynne Stewart about her health and the Second
Circuit decision upholding her 10 year sentence

July 2 2012/ 9:30 am

The past week has confronted me with changes both bitter and sweet
and I want to share with all of you my outlook. On the "sweet" side
(because as progressive leftists, we always try to assuage the bitter
!) the best and most important news is that I have had my long
awaited surgery, more problematic than the Doctor expected, spent a
few days in hospital in Fort Worth and at Carswell prison and am in a
slow recovery back in my unit. I have been given a walker to insure
that I don't have a fall as the operation left me anemic and I
sometimes am a little dizzy and weak...BUT THE GREAT THING IS THAT I
AM CURED AND AM FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, with a rebuilt bladder and an
absence of discomfort from a distended uterus. (I know that this is
more information than many of you want -- my male supporters
particularly !!!) I feel better and stronger every day and am, of
course, determined to deal with healing naturally. I am not here to
praise the great care I received (still had my feet shackled, belly
chained and cuffed; no contact with anyone who might be worrying
about me etc. from the Bureau of Prisons; I can tell plenty of horror
stories about the care of the women in here); but I have come through
and am ready to soon resume STRUGGLE. Ralph paid me an unscheduled
visit this weekend gave me a real boost and will be more than happy
to report further on this positive health development !!!

THAT SAID, the bitter occurrence was of course, the snide and
unsubstantiated opinion of the Second Circuit (posted on my website)
denying any relief from the draconian sentence change imposed the
second time around. A blow, but not mortal. We will do an appeal to
all of the Judges of the Second Circuit sitting en banc, to
reverse. Hopefully and we always hope, those Judges will take a
different viewpoint. In reading the opinion there is a hypocritical
view expressed that the first Judge Koeltl sentence and opinion is
all wrong but the second sentence and opinion (as orchestrated by
their remand) was all right. Will the real decision maker please
stand up?? Also, the moral underpinning of their entire prosecution
is now more questionable with the newly elected President of Egypt
demanding the return of my "terrorist" client Sheik Omar Abdel
Rahman. If he is a hero of the Arab Spring than my aid was a
positive thing --yes??? Certainly not the criminal support the US
government gave to the 40 year Dictator Mubarak !!!

In any event, we also go forward after the en banc to the next
"legal" stage of the case...the certiorari petition for my entire
case to the United States Supreme Court. As should be remembered,
from that April day in 2002 when Attorney General Ashcroft rode into
NY and announced a "significant arrest and indictment", this is the
case that has the Bill of Rights affronted on almost every issue. As
my colleague and brother, Attorney Michael Smith said to me then;
there are First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth Amendment violation and
that's just for starters. We are going to confront the Government
and the Supremes and hopefully raise the awareness of the legal and
the community at large to the terrible infringements and danger to
all if my case is not reversed. Back Now to the fundamentals and as
Ralph says----"We've got them right where we want them"!! We fight on.

In closing I have to say that any weakness in my body should not be
mistaken for a weakness in my spirit or will. When I signed on for
this struggle back in 1962, to rescue my country and all its people
from the powers that would ruin, twist and destroy us all, it wasn't
for a week or a day but always--until we win. I welcome your support and love.