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August 12, 2013

Judge Denies Compassionate Release to Ailing Lawyer Lynne Stewart 
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A federal judge has denied a request for compassionate release from
jailed civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart, who is dying from stage IV
breast cancer. Stewart has served almost four years of a 10-year prison
sentence for distributing press releases on behalf of her jailed client,
Omar Abdel Rahman, an Egyptian cleric known as the “blind Sheikh.”
On Friday, Judge John Koeltl rejected a request that would have allowed
her to die surrounded by her loved ones. The judge said he could not
order her release unless it was first requested by the Bureau of
Prisons, which recently turned down Stewart's bid for release, saying
she is not sick enough. Since then, her doctor has said she has less
than 18 months to live. Stewart's lawyers have resubmitted her
application to the Bureau of Prisons and Judge Koeltl said he would give
"prompt and sympathetic consideration" if the Bureau approves that
request.

 

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