the lynne stewart case involved a lawyer accused of aiding in the acts of what

by Dorcas Lowe III Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago 8 min read

Lynne F. Stewart, a radical-leftist lawyer who gained wide notice for representing violent, self-described revolutionaries and who spent four years in prison herself, convicted of aiding terrorism, died on Tuesday at her home in Brooklyn. She was 77.

Terrorism Case

Full Answer

What is the history of the case of Lynne Stewart?

Oct 08, 2002 · Attorney Lynne Stewart certainly believed that to be true, but her principles and zealous representation have landed her a four-count criminal indictment for aiding and abetting terrorism. Without warning, Stewart was taken out of her home and arrested. Attorney General Ashcroft then staged a press conference within hours of her arrest.

Who is Lynn Stewart?

Oct 12, 2002 · Attorney Lynne Stewart certainly believed that to be true, but her principles and zealous representation have landed her a four-count criminal indictment for aiding and abetting terrorism. Without...

How long did Lynn Stewart go to jail?

Feb 11, 2005 · Lawyer Is Guilty of Aiding Terror By Julia Preston Feb. 11, 2005 Lynne F. Stewart, an outspoken lawyer known for representing a long list of unpopular defendants, was convicted yesterday by a...

What did Jane Stewart defend in a court case?

The indictment this week of Manhattan criminal defense attorney Lynne F. Stewart sent shock waves through the legal community. Charges alleging Stewart conspired with a client to aid an Egyptian-based terrorist group linked to al-Qaida are raising concerns that the government is targeting lawyers who take on controversial cases. Dozens of Stewart’s colleagues crowded …

Who is Martha Stewart's attorney?

But Stewart is fortunate in that her attorney, Michael Tigar, is not dissuaded by the government’s tactics. He has been appointed by U.S. District Judge John Koeltl (of the Southern District of New York) to lead Stewart’s defense team.

How long is Martha Stewart in jail?

If convicted, she faces 40 years in prison. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Stewart allowed Yousry to communicate with Rahman in Arabic regarding nonlegal matters, and that she purposely made extraneous comments in English that would mask and conceal the Arabic conversation.

What is client confidentiality?

As every lawyer knows, client confidentiality is the very foundation of the attorney-client relationship. Attorney Lynne Stewart certainly believed that to be true, but her principles and zealous representation have landed her a four-count criminal indictment for aiding and abetting terrorism. Without warning, Stewart was taken out ...

What is a FISA warrant?

In addition to monitoring attorney-client communications by means of SAM’s, the government could (and no doubt did, in the Stewart case) conduct surveillance under authority of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant. To get the warrants, DOJ must convince the special FISA court ...

Was Martha Stewart arrested?

Without war ning, Stewart was taken out of her home and arrested. Attorney General Ashcroft then staged a press conference within hours of her arrest. The same night, he appeared on David Letterman’s show, to assure viewers (and potential jurors, it seems) that the “terrorist” lawyer was guilty as charged.

Who is Lynne Stewart?

5. Lynne Irene Stewart (October 8, 1939 – March 7, 2017) was an American defense attorney who was known for representing controversial, famous defendants. She herself was convicted on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists in 2005, and sentenced to 28 months in prison.

What were the special administrative measures that Stewart was subject to?

As part of Stewart's defense of Rahman, and her serving for several years on post-conviction issues, she was subject to modified " special administrative measures " which govern communications between suspects and their legal counsel. Stewart had accepted the condition that, in order to be allowed to meet with Abdel Rahman in prison, she would not "use [their] meetings, correspondence, or phone calls with Abdel Rahman to pass messages between third parties (including, but not limited to, the media) and Abdel Rahman". The special administrative measures, or SAMs, were modified in the wake of the September 11th attacks and were designed to prevent communications that could endanger US national security or lead to acts of violence and terrorism.

Overview

Lynne Irene Stewart (October 8, 1939 – March 7, 2017) was an American defense attorney who was known for representing controversial, famous defendants. She herself was convicted on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists in 2005, and sentenced to 28 months in prison. Her felony conviction led to her being automatically disbarred. She was convicted o…

Early life and education

Stewart was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Irene and John Feltham. Her mother was of German and Swedish descent, while her father had English and Irish ancestry. She grew up in Bellerose, Queens and graduated from Martin Van Buren High School in 1957. She attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan but left without a degree. Stewart graduated from Wagner College on Staten Island with a B.A. in political science in 1961. She earned a Juris Doctor from Rutgers Schoo…

Legal career

Stewart was admitted to the New York State Bar on January 31, 1977. For much of her career as a lawyer, she represented a number of economically disadvantaged clients as well as more high-profile cases. Stewart was a self-described "movement lawyer" who took a wider interest in promoting the general political interests of those she represented, rather than only dealing with the specific charges against them. Stewart defended Weather Underground member David Gilbert, …

Abdel-Rahman case

After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the FBI began to investigate Omar Abdel-Rahman also known as the Blind Sheikh. The FBI recorded Rahman issuing a fatwa that encouraged acts of violence against US civilian targets, particularly in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area. Rahman was arrested on 24 June 1993. The targets were the United Nations Headquarters, t…

Personal life

Stewart was married to Ralph Poynter, and had a son, Geoffrey S. Stewart, also a lawyer, who lives in Brooklyn, New York. She also has two daughters, Brenna Stewart, also an attorney, and Zenobia Poynter, a doctor.

External links

• Justice for Lynne Stewart site
• U.S. v. Sattar (Stewart; Yousry), no. 06-5015-cr (L), (2d Cir. November 17, 2009)
• The conviction of Lynne Stewart and the uncertain future of the right to defend. American Criminal Law Review