Jailed US People's Lawyer Lynne Stewart Denied Cancer Treatment

People's Attorney Lynne Stewart of New York City was taken into custody on November 19, 2009. Stewart was convicted of providing information to her client who was falsely accused of terrorism., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Jailed US lawyer of blind Egyptian cleric denied cancer treatment

Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:18AM GMT
presstv.ir

US prison authorities have denied medical treatment to an imprisoned female attorney who was accused and convicted of “terrorism” charges in 2005 over defending a blind Egyptian cleric against similar charges.

Prominent defense attorney Lynne Stewart, whose original 28-month prison sentence was raised to a whopping 10-year term simply for not expressing “remorse” following her conviction, is reportedly suffering from breast cancer, requiring immediate expert treatment.

According to reports by Stewart's supporters, the breast cancer that she was diagnosed with in the 2000s has reemerged and spread to her lungs and upper back.

Lynne Stewart Defense Committee has announced in a statement, quoting Stewart's husband Ralph Poynter, that Stewart’s condition is still treatable, if prison officials would act on her request to receive expert treatment at a New York City hospital, as she has before.

However, Stewart's appeal to be transferred to the New York hospital was denied by authorities, and she will thus have to be treated at an ordinary health facility attached to the Texas prison where she is being held.

Stewart was charged with “conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists” in 2005 after being accused of facilitating the relaying of messages from her elderly Egyptian client, Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, accused and convicted of inciting and planning “terror attack” against New York landmarks.

Stewart was initially sentenced to 28 months in 2006, but the case was referred back to a federal panel to determine if she deserved a longer sentence for her ‘lack of remorse.’