DhafirTrial

Convictions in Dr. Dhafir’s case were affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals but the case was sent back to Judge Mordue for resentencing. The court decision can be read here.

Dr. Dhafir’s lawyers will file a petition for a rehearing en banc (all the judges on the court of appeals) because they believe that the court’s analysis of the sentencing issue is inconsistent with the holding of a fairly recent Supreme Court case.  They will also renew their challenge on convictions on at least one ground. (more…)

This post provides an overview for people who heard about Dr. Dhafir’s case at the recent National Assembly Conference:

Dhafir Case Summary

ACLU Statement on the case. (more…)

Dear Paul Riede,

Thank you for publishing the Dr. Dhafir Support Committee letter about Dr. Dhafir’s oral arguments in NYC in you paper. However, I am extremely concerned that you used the whole quote form the NYCLU and did not use quotation marks. We are not in the habit of taking other people’s words as our own (more…)

Published 8/27/08
To the editor:

Almost five and a half years to the day that he became the first and only U.S. citizen jailed for resisting U.S. economic sanctions against the people of Iraq, Dr. Rafil Dhafir, a Syracuse oncologist who helped raise almost $5 million in humanitarian supplies for the Iraqi people, will have his appeal heard at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, on August 28, 2008. (more…)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 18, 2008
Contact: Katherine Hughes
katherinehugh [at] gmail.com
Dr. Dhafir Support Committee

Syracuse Doctor Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Helping Iraqi People Heads to Appeals Court August 28 in New York City (more…)

By Bob Elmendorf ZMagazine 2/20/08

In an unusual judicial irony, Dr. Rafil Dhafir, a Syracuse oncologist and U.S. citizen, was convicted two years ago of breaking the Iraqi sanctions by sending aid to starving children. He is serving a 22-year sentence in the Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana. (more…)

The brief in response to the government brief has now been submitted, Reply Brief of Appellant Dhafir. This is the final brief and we now await a date for oral arguments, most likely they will be some time in the fall.

The Opening Brief was submitted 2/08/08. The Government Response Brief was submitted 4/08/08. For more information about the appeal process see here.

The government submitted its brief in response to the appeal brief submitted by Dr. Dhafir’s lawyers, Peter Goldberger and Barry Boss, on Wednesday, April 8th, 2008. Dr. Dhafir’s lawyers have a right to reply within two weeks (or longer if granted by the court). A few months after this reply is submitted, the defense and prosecution will be invited to present oral arguments before a panel of 3 judges. ( more about the appeal…)