From the World Can’t Wait:
January 1, 2014
Our friend and advisor Lynne Stewart was finally granted compassionate release from a federal prison where she should never have been sent to. She flew home to New York City this morning, and will live with her son, an attorney who has also defended political activists. We celebrate with Ralph Poynter, her devoted partner of decades, children and grandchildren, with her former clients, some of whom are still political prisoners.
Judge Koetl promised to free her last August, but the Federal Bureau of Prisons took five months to grant what she was entitled to: a chance to die at home of terminal cancer, surrounded by loved ones. From Lynne:
12/31/12 3:24 pm
My Dears:
Well, the impossible takes a little longer !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We learned this morning that the US Attorney’s office has made the motion for my compassionate release and that the Order was on Judge Koeltl’s desk. Since on the last go-round he stated in Court that he would treat it “favorably”, we are now just waiting expectantly.
The wonderful thing is that Ralph is here in Ft Worth for a visit and will bring me back to NYC with him. We don’t know when but the rules state that the warden has 2 days to let me go after he receives the order so it could be as early as Friday or a few days more. Whatever it is, I can’t stop crying tears of Joy !! I can’t stop thinking of all the marvelous people worldwide who made this happen ..you know because each of you played an integral role. My daughter Z is already lining up Sloan Kettering and we will have to see if there is a probation qualification attached to the Order and how it will affect me. After that Ralph will start making arrangements to rent Yankee Stadium for the Welcome Home… Smile
Other sources of info:
Judge Orders Release of Dying Lawyer Convicted of Aiding Terrorism
by Benjamin Weiser, New York Times
A federal judge in Manhattan ordered a “compassionate release” on Tuesday for Lynne F. Stewart, the former defense lawyer convicted of assisting terrorism who is dying from cancer in a federal prison in Texas.