On Monday, November 10, a jury rendered a verdict of guilty against Rasmieh (Rasmea) Odeh on charges that she unlawfully failed to disclose her conviction in Israel of involvement in the 1969 bombing of a supermarket and related offenses, and service of 10 years in Israeli prison (before being released in a prisoner exchange for an Israeli soldier held in Lebanon).
Judge Gerschwin Drain ordered Odeh’s bond revoked, and she was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs and taken into custody pending the March 15, 2015 sentencing.
Odeh now has filed a motion for reconsideration of that decision. The motion and supporting exhibits, as well as an Affidavit, are embedded in full at the bottom of this post.
The gist of the motion is that Odeh has strong ties to the Chicago area and limited (if any) ability to flee:
6. Among the findings made by the Court was that the Defendant did not have sufficient ties to the community, that her attempted escape from an Israeli prison in 1975 evidenced a lack of respect for authority, and that, now that she was convicted and facing possible prison time, she had no incentive to return to Court for sentencing.
The motion then goes on to list varies offers of proof rebutting the court’s findings, including:
C. Attorney James Fennerty, a close friend who has known Ms. Odeh since 1984, even before she came to the United States, would testify that he is willing to have her live in his home, and to act as her custodian, assuring the Court that she would return for sentencing.* * * G. There are also people from Chicago, who are willing to post their homes as surety to guarantee Ms. Odeh’s bond. The value of these homes exceeds $500,000.* * * K. Ms. Odeh can be given additional restrictions, including an ankle monitor, if necessary, and frequent reporting, as well as special supervision by Attorney Fennerty or such other person(s) as the Court may find suitable, to satisfy any concern about her staying in place.
Among the exhibits is a petition signed by dozens of people attesting to Odeh’s good character and likelihood she will not flee:
The Judge has ordered the government to respond by November 19.
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Rasmieh Odeh Case – Motion for Reconsideration of Bond Revocation (1)
Rasmieh Odeh Case – Affidavit in Support of Motion for Reconsideration of Bond Revocation (1)
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