"Hellerstein emphasised that, in the US, all criminal defendants have the right to a vigorous defence, as part of the US Constitution's Sixth Amendment. The right that's implicated, paramount over other rights, is the right to constitutional counsel."
"Hellerstein pushed back against that argument, noting that Trump had eased sanctions against Venezuela since Maduro's abduction on January 3. He also questioned how Maduro might pose a security threat while imprisoned in New York."
Judge Alvin Hellerstein has decided not to dismiss drug-trafficking and weapons possession charges against Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores. During a court hearing, he questioned the US government's right to prevent Venezuela from funding Maduro's legal defense. Hellerstein noted that all criminal defendants have a constitutional right to a vigorous defense. He challenged the prosecution's argument regarding national security, stating that Maduro poses no threat while imprisoned in New York. Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty and are seeking to have the charges dismissed.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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