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This is quoted verbatim:
"The U.S. COurt of Military Appeals set aside Marine Sgt. Clayton
Lonetree's 25 year sentence for espionage on September 29. The court
came within one vote of setting aside Lonetree's entire conviction.
Two of the court's five members said Lonetree's rights were
violated when his confession was admitted as evidence. Lonetree said
he was promised confidentiality in exchange for his confession.
The decision directs a lower court to reconsider the fairness of
the sentence on the grounds that Lonetree had inadequate counsel from
his two attorneys during his 1987 trial.
In a prepared statement, Lonetree's attorney said, that while
pleased with the beneficial ruling, "I expect to be filing shortly an
appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to have Sgt. Lonetree's entire
conviction set aside."
In 1986 Lonetree came forward to admit that he dated a Soviet
woman while guarding the U.S. embassy in Moscow. These dates led him
into contacts with KGB agents. The importance of the information
Lonetree supplied the KGB during this time has been at the heart of
his story.
Although his coming forward lead to the exposure of significant
security lapses and widespread negligence, Lonetree was the only person
prosecuted.
At the time of his trial, Lonetree's acions were treated as a
major breach of national security. Then President Reagan and the
Secretary of Defense publicly denounced Lonetree.
But later, the commandant of the Marine Corps said, Lonetree had
been treated too harshly."
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Lisa A. Mitten 207 Hillman Library
Social Sciences Bibliographer University of Pittsburgh
FAX: 412-648-1245 Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Bitnet: lmitten@pittvms 412-648-7723
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