Assange lawyer Barry Pollack to defend Maduro, challenge 'military abduction'
What's the story
Barry Pollack, the attorney who represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, will now defend ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro against charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, and money laundering, among others, in the United States. The case has the potential to challenge claims of immunity for foreign leaders and the legality of their capture in the US, commentators noted. Pollack was present with Maduro when he pleaded not guilty at Manhattan federal court after being seized in a US military raid.
Defense approach
Pollack's legal strategy for Maduro's defense
Pollack is expected to challenge what he calls Maduro's "military abduction" in court, arguing that the operation carried out by the US on Saturday was unlawful. He may also argue that Maduro is immune from criminal charges as a foreign head of state. However, these arguments face legal challenges since the US has not recognized Maduro as Venezuela's leader since 2019, terming the elections fraudulent.
Legal history
Pollack's previous high-profile legal battles
Historically, US courts have not upheld defense objections to prosecution over charges that a defendant was brought to the country unlawfully. Pollack, a partner at Harris St Laurent & Wechsler law firm, has a history of taking on high-profile cases. He represented Assange in his Espionage Act case for releasing classified US documents through WikiLeaks, which included diplomatic cables and accounts of military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Other cases
Other victories secured by Pollack
Pollack went on to negotiate a deal that allowed Assange to leave a British prison, enter his plea in the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands, before returning to his native Australia. He has also previously defended a former CIA officer convicted of leaking classified information to a reporter. In another high-profile case, he secured an acquittal for a former Enron Corp executive who faced charges tied to the energy company's collapse in 2001.