Verdict In Holy Land Foundation Trial – Sealed Until Monday
October 19, 2007 by national
Filed under Homeland Security News
After 19 days of deliberations, the jury in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial returned a verdict Thursday afternoon. But it will be three days before the defendants find out their fate.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney said during a hastily called hearing Thursday that the jury’s decisions on the complex case will remain sealed until Monday morning, when the case’s presiding judge, U.S. District Judge A. Joe Fish, returns to town.
“I do not have the authority or the power to read it to the court,” he said, referring to his status as a magistrate judge and not an “Article III” judge, or one who is appointed by the president.
Judge Fish left Judge Stickney in charge of the Holy Land case while he was out of town at a conference this week. Court officials did not say where the conference was being held.
The five Holy Land defendants, all but one a U.S. citizen, are accused of raising more than $12 million and wiring it to Palestinian charity committees, who prosecutors say were controlled by a terrorist group, Hamas.
Hamas has sponsored hundreds of suicide bombings, often targeting Israeli civilians.
None of the five Holy Land officials was accused of any violent acts. Defense attorneys said their clients ran a legitimate charity and had no connection to Hamas or any other terrorists.
In Judge Fish’s absence, Judge Stickney’s role was to accept any juror notes and then consult with him by cellphone, as well as the attorneys, on how to respond, court officials said.
When jurors sent Judge Stickney a note about 2 p.m. indicating they had reached a verdict, he consulted with the attorneys as well as Judge Fish.
At one point, U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn, who has authority to preside over the reading of such a verdict because she is a presidential appointee, was going to do just that. But, with three of the four members of the prosecution team out of state because Judge Fish was gone, Judge Fish ultimately directed that the verdict be sealed until 10 a.m. Monday.
All the defense attorneys and their clients were present for the 3 p.m. hearing, during which most believed the verdict would be read.
