Judge: Release Rosenberg Spy Case Docs

[sabra]

Source: CBS News/AP

Sealed Grand Jury Testimony In Notorious 1950s Espionage Trial Ordered Open

(CBS/AP) A federal judge has ordered key secret grand jury testimony released in the 1950s atomic spy trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled Tuesday regarding the testimony of several witnesses whose sealed testimony was taken in 1950 and 1951. He cited the needs of historians.

Federal prosecutors had already agreed to release the records of 35 of the 45 witnesses. Hellerstein's rulings mean testimony from all but three witnesses can be public.

...

Their prosecution and alleged guilt was a source of controversy even after their deaths.

In 2001, Greenglass recanted, telling 60 Minutes II that he gave false testimony about his sister at the behest of prosecutors.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/26/national/main4385522.shtml

[nels25]

1. I could be wrong but I thought

that some historians checked old Soviet and KGB intelligence files in regard to the Rosenber's and were able to verify that in fact that the US had gotten it essientially correct, they were nuclear spies.

No citation just thought I remembered reading it some where.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Unless you have some proof of that assertion, you are wrong.

On the other hand, the prosecution coercing a witness to commit perjury in a capital case is a heinous act that makes the actual guilt or innocence of the Rosenbergs irrelevant. If you are correct (and as far as I can tell, you are not,) discovering 50 years later that the state happened to have actually executed the right people does not make what they did in this case any less unjust.

[Thothmes]

3. I do remember a couple of news articles from the mid ninties

stating that ,based on Soviet records, Julius Rosenburg was spying for them. His wife was definately not part of that espionage. She was railroaded. Her only part it was to type some documents. Agree with you that prosecutorial misconduct played a big part in their convictions. There were a couple of threads on this subject a couple of years ago on DU.

[MicaelS]

5. No, you're the one who is wrong.

The government knew for a fact the Rosenbergs were spies due to decrypts of the Soviet cables under the Venona Project. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/venona/intercepts.html

Here's the cable that blew their covers. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/venona/inte_19440921.html#cable

The government knew for a fact, but weren't willing to reveal that fact, because by doing so it would have compromised Venona, and the Intel haul they were getting was still valuable enough to keep the deception going.

Google Venona Project, there's plenty of info out there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venona_project

[LostinVA]

4. What has been released shows Ethel Rosenberg was almost positively innocent

Her scummy brother has also said that. They used her to try and force her husband to confess. She should be exonerated, although that won't bring her back to life.


From what I've read, Julius was guilty of industrial espionage, which wasn't considered a treasonous offense.

[The Stranger]

9. Any links?

[kskiska]

10. Actually, they weren't executed for treason -

just "conspiracy to commit treason," for which I doubt anyone else had ever been executed.

[kskiska]

6. Greenglass was very compliant and has no regrets

His main objective was to obtain immunity for his wife, Ruth, who was very involved in espionage, so she could remain at home with their children. As a result of the deal, Ruth did no prison time. Greenglass was sentenced to several years, being released in 1960.

[MicaelS]

7. Damn right...

Choosing your wife and the mother of your children, over your sister? Hell yes, I'd choose my wife.

[LostinVA]

8. Putting your innocent sister to death, orphaning your nephews?

Oh boy.