In memory of Leonard Weinglass

Not that long ago Len came to visit me and we worked for several hours preparing
for the next step of my appeal. I noticed at the time that he was tired. I was
worried with his advanced age that he was driving alone after a long trip from New
York. The weather was bad and the roads from the airport up to Victorville wind
through the mountains surrounding the high desert.  I mentioned my concern to him
but he did not pay it any attention. That was the way he was, nothing stopped him.
When we would meet the same thing would always happen. At some point in our conversation,
while listening to him talk, my mind would separate from his words and I would focus
on the person. I would realize that here is this great man, the tremendous lawyer,
the legendary fighter for justice, right here in front of me. I told him that I
had seen images of him in documentaries on TV dedicating himself to important legal
cases that he had participated in from a very young age. With pride I would tell
people watching, “that is the lawyer of the Five”. It did not matter how much I
read or heard about Len I knew through his humility and modesty that there was
a lot I still had to discover about this man who had dedicated his life to his profession.
Len always insisted that our case, like the others that he had dedicated lots of
his time to, was essentially a political one. He cautioned us from the start that
this struggle would be long and difficult.  His experience with the “system” had
taught him that. For our part, beyond the professional relationship we had, we
always thought of him as one compañero in the battle for justice.
Len leaves us at an important moment, but he leaves us prepared to carry on the
path. On more than one occasion he expressed his admiration and respect for the
other lawyers on our legal team, and I think that he has left confident that our
case is in good hands.
Like other people, who during these years have accompanied us in our struggle to
make justice prevail, he will not be with us to see the inevitable triumph. We
are confident that day will arrive and to Len, and to all the others, we will pay
them a well deserved tribute in our homeland.
On behalf of the Cuban Five, and our families, and from the millions of Cubans,
and brothers and sisters from all over the world who trusted and admired him, we
send our most sincere condolences to Len’s family and friends.
Leonard Weinglass, Presente!
Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo
USP Victorville, California
March 23, 2011