Convicted Spy Pollard Loses Appeal Over Life Sentence

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http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBNG2MNGBE.html

By Sam Hananel Associated Press Writer
Published: Jul 22, 2005


WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal appeals court Friday rejected convicted spy Jonathan Pollard's latest effort to reduce the life sentence he received for selling military secrets to Israel while working as an intelligence analyst for the Navy.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that Pollard waited too long to try to contest his 1987 sentence and failed to make a convincing case that he got poor legal help.

The court also ruled that it had no authority to review Pollard's request to see secret documents the Reagan administration submitted to the judge who imposed the sentence 18 years ago.

Pollard's lawyers said they needed to see the material to rebut government arguments against any new appeal or against a request for presidential clemency.

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