Ricardo Bascuas Wins In Amicus Brief Filing Dispute

Speaking of the SFLA Blog, I see via it that one of my colleagues won one: Ricardo Bascuas prevailed over a peculiar, peevish, pettifogging, and petty attempt by local prosecutors to block two amicus briefs in the en banc phase of the so-called “Cuban Five” case. (The underlying issue is whether the defendants, accused of being Cuban spies, could get a fair trial in the surcharged anti-Castro atmosphere of Miami, especially after it was whipped up against them by massive pre-trial publicity; the collateral issue on which Rick prevailed was just whether National Lawyers Guild, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National Association of Federal Public Defenders and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers would be allowed to file amicus briefs, something which is just about always routinely allowed for parties with the interest and energy to do so.)