Opinion ID: 2742333
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The 1996 Murders

Text: On February 24, 1996, the Cuban Air Force shot down two civilian planes in international airspace. Four men, all members of the Miami-based Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue (“BTTR”), were killed in the incident. The murders drew substantial media attention and widespread condemnation of the Cuban government. The shoot-down also resulted in civil litigation and criminal prosecutions. In 1997, the estates of three of the victims, all United States citizens, prevailed in a civil suit against the Republic of Cuba and the Cuban Air Force. Alejandre v. Republic of Cuba, 996 F. Supp. 1239 (S.D. Fla. 1997). The cause of action was based on provisions of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and 2 Case: 14-10391 Date Filed: 10/15/2014 Page: 3 of 14 Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-208, § 589, 110 Stat. 3009 (1996) (codified at 28 U.S.C. § 1605), which allows money damages against foreign states for the personal injury or death of American citizens, subject to additional restrictions. The estates were awarded a judgment of over $187 million dollars. Alejandre, 996 F. Supp. at 1253. The order accompanying the final judgment quoted at length from the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996. Id. at 1247. That act of Congress, responding explicitly to the shoot-down, stated that “[t]he [actions] chosen by Fidel Castro . . . [were] a blatant and barbaric violation of international law and tantamount to coldblooded murder.” 22 U.S.C. § 6046. Moreover, it called on President Clinton “to seek, in the International Court of Justice, indictment for this act of terrorism by Fidel Castro.” Id. Criminal prosecutions followed, beginning in 1998. A federal grand jury indicted five Cuban agents for their involvement in the incident. United States v. Campa, 419 F.3d 1219, 1222-23 (11th Cir. 2005), rev’d en banc, 459 F.3d 1121 (11th Cir. 2006). One was charged with and convicted of conspiracy to murder the four BTTR members. Id. Other defendants were charged with and convicted of a range of offenses, including espionage. Id. This Court, sitting en banc, affirmed those convictions of the Cuban agents. United States v. Campa, 459 F.3d 1121, 1126 (11th Cir. 2006) (en banc) (rejecting venue objections); see also United States 3 Case: 14-10391 Date Filed: 10/15/2014 Page: 4 of 14 v. Campa, 529 F.3d 980, 987 (11th Cir. 2008) (subsequent panel opinion affirming all defendants’ convictions over other objections and remanding for resentencing as to three defendants). These were not the only criminal prosecutions. In 2003, a federal grand jury indicted three additional defendants–the head of the Cuban Air Force and the two fighter pilots who actually shot down the aircraft–with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. These defendants remain fugitives.