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in acknowledging that "espionage and violation of the sovereignty of
other states are national policy of the United States." He also referred
to the doctrine of complicity in criminal law and asserted that not only
those who organized and sponsored Powers' crimes but those who facilitated
them are accomplices, nemely Turkey, Pakistan, and Norway. Earlier he
had mentioned Western Germany's acquiescence to U-2 flights from its
territory and repeated the charge that U.S. planes violated the
sovereignty of various countries, including neutral countries such as
Afghanistan.
Rudenko ended his speech stating that he had every reason to ask
for the death penalty for Powers but, in view of the latter's repentance,
was asking for fifteen years confinement.
The
Defense Plea. Grinev repainted the same picture as on the
first day of a poor boy who was the victim of a depraved society. He
stressed a number of points which should mitigate Powers' guilt, namely
that he was following orders, that he was misled as to the danger of
his mission, that he did not destroy the plane and commit suicide, and
that he had divulged U.S. classified information which made him liable
to ten years in prison or a $10,000 fine in the U.S. Grinev claimed
that Powers'had undergone an inner change and now realized the significance
of his acts and how he had been misled by his employers. The defense
lawyer wound up by asking for a less severe sentence which would be an
example of the "humanity of Soviet justice" and sharply contrast with the
inhumanity of Powers' "masters".
The final brief statement by Powers acknowledged the gravity of
his crime and his responsibility but asked that all circumstances be
considered. He pointed out that none of the data his plane had collected
had reached U.S. authorities and all had landed in Soviet hands. He
asked to be judged as a man who is not an enemy of the Russian people.
The Verdict. The judges' verdict reviewed again the main points
proved in the trial and prescribed a sentence of ten years, the first
three to be served in a prison and the remainder in a less severe place
of detention. The latter could be a labor colony or possibly exile in
a specific area of the USSR. According to Soviet commentary on the
verdict, Powers might be eligible for parole after two-thirds of his
sentence was served.
Document source description
This is the U.S. State Department's summary of the trial of pilot Francis Gary Powers for espionage in the Soviet Union.
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Context sent to Scholar
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"ocrText": "-2-\nin acknowledging that \"espionage and violation of the sovereignty of\nother states are national policy of the United States.\" He also referred\nto the doctrine of complicity in criminal law and asserted that not only\nthose who organized and sponsored Powers' crimes but those who facilitated\nthem are accomplices, nemely Turkey, Pakistan, and Norway. Earlier he\nhad mentioned Western Germany's acquiescence to U-2 flights from its\nterritory and repeated the charge that U.S. planes violated the\nsovereignty of various countries, including neutral countries such as\nAfghanistan.\nRudenko ended his speech stating that he had every reason to ask\nfor the death penalty for Powers but, in view of the latter's repentance,\nwas asking for fifteen years confinement.\nThe\nDefense Plea. Grinev repainted the same picture as on the\nfirst day of a poor boy who was the victim of a depraved society. He\nstressed a number of points which should mitigate Powers' guilt, namely\nthat he was following orders, that he was misled as to the danger of\nhis mission, that he did not destroy the plane and commit suicide, and\nthat he had divulged U.S. classified information which made him liable\nto ten years in prison or a $10,000 fine in the U.S. Grinev claimed\nthat Powers'had undergone an inner change and now realized the significance\nof his acts and how he had been misled by his employers. The defense\nlawyer wound up by asking for a less severe sentence which would be an\nexample of the \"humanity of Soviet justice\" and sharply contrast with the\ninhumanity of Powers' \"masters\".\nThe final brief statement by Powers acknowledged the gravity of\nhis crime and his responsibility but asked that all circumstances be\nconsidered. He pointed out that none of the data his plane had collected\nhad reached U.S. authorities and all had landed in Soviet hands. He\nasked to be judged as a man who is not an enemy of the Russian people.\nThe Verdict. The judges' verdict reviewed again the main points\nproved in the trial and prescribed a sentence of ten years, the first\nthree to be served in a prison and the remainder in a less severe place\nof detention. The latter could be a labor colony or possibly exile in\na specific area of the USSR. According to Soviet commentary on the\nverdict, Powers might be eligible for parole after two-thirds of his\nsentence was served."
}