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Wednesday, August 13, 2003 |
Interview: Esther Pollard: New Court Date Will Not Free Pollard |
Interview: Esther Pollard: New Court Date Will Not Free Pollard Aaron Lerner Date: 13 August 2003 IMRA Interviewed Esther Pollard, wife of Jonathan Pollard, in English on 13 IMRA: Jonathan Pollard has a new court date, September 2, 2003. You must be ESTHER POLLARD: [silence]. IMRA: But tell me, Esther, it has to mean something that Jonathan will ESTHER POLLARD: No, Aaron, Jonathan will not get to speak at all. He will IMRA: Isn't this the evidentiary hearing that Jonathan has waited so long ESTHER POLLARD: No. It is not an evidentiary hearing. IMRA: So it's an appeal? ESTHER POLLARD: No it is not an appeal either. IMRA: Well then, what is it? A retrial? ESTHER POLLARD: Unfortunately the September 2 court date is not the IMRA: What is the difference? ESTHER POLLARD: At an evidentiary hearing, or an appeal or a retrial, the IMRA: Then? ESTHER POLLARD: In the simplest possible terms it is just more discussion. IMRA: You mean the two cases they filed in 2000? ESTHER POLLARD: Yes. The first case is a Motion for Resentencing. It asks The second case asks the court to order the Government to allow Jonathan's IMRA: Those two cases were filed about 3 years ago. How were they decided? ESTHER POLLARD: That's just it, Aaron, they never were decided. IMRA: You mean to tell me that they are still sitting on the judge's desk ESTHER POLLARD: Yes. Exactly. We had hoped that we might get a decision but IMRA: How would that help? ESTHER POLLARD: A decision - even a negative decision on those two cases - IMRA: Let me understand; in other words, no matter what goes on at this ESTHER POLLARD: That sounds about right. IMRA: So is this just a stalling device? The court can appear to be ESTHER POLLARD: Let me put it this way, Aaron: both sets of attorneys have IMRA: And? ESTHER POLLARD: And instead of getting a decision, what we got was a court IMRA: Is standard procedure? ESTHER POLLARD: No. Usually oral arguments belong to an appeals phase, but IMRA: So why doesn't Jonathan appeal? ESTHER POLLARD: Catch-22 He can't appeal until a decision on the cases is IMRA: Even a negative decision? ESTHER POLLARD: Yes! Of course! Then we could go to Appeal! IMRA: So again, this new hearing just gives the appearance of progress, ESTHER POLLARD: True. Remember - and I know that this is hard for most IMRA: So why are they bringing Jonathan all the way to Washington - at ESTHER POLLARD: That is a good question, Aaron. I wish we knew. IMRA: Is there any chance that this hearing could set Jonathan free? ESTHER POLLARD: No. It is not a trial. Not even a hearing. Just more talk. IMRA: Esther what is the best you and Jonathan can hope for out of all of ESTHER POLLARD: A miracle! Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis) |
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