Lawyers in case against 9/11 plotters in discussions to reach possible plea agreement, avoid death penalty trial
CNN
Lawyers in the case against five Guantanamo detainees accused of plotting the September 11, 2001, terror attacks are in discussions with prosecutors to reach a possible plea agreement and avoid a death penalty trial at the Guantanamo Bay military court, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Legal teams on both sides of the infamous case, which includes defendant Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who's known as the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, arrived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, last week for scheduled pre-trial hearings. But on the first day hearings were to begin, the lead defense attorney for detainee Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash, Cheryl Bormann, moved to withdraw from the case, the source said.
After that, the prosecution emailed all five defense teams proposing negotiations. Discussions began between the prosecution, made up of attorneys from the Department of Justice, and the five defense teams representing each Guantanamo detainee in the case on March 10. The discussions are about reaching possible plea agreements that would avoid a death penalty trial for the detainees, according to the source.
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