- Title: RUSSIA: WIFE OF U.S. SPY SUSPECT EDMOND POPE, MEETS WITH HER HUSBAND
- Date: 6th December 2000
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 5, 2000) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF THE KEMPINSKY HOTEL 0.07 2. MV CHERI POPE'S LAWYER PAVEL ASTAKHOV AND CONGRESSMAN JOHN PETERSON TALKING; CHERI POPE AND POPE'S LAWYER PAVEL ASTAKHOV EMBRACE AND SIT DOWN TO TALK; CHERI POPE AND LAWYER PAVEL ASTAKHOV TALKING; SCU CAMERAMAN (5 SHOTS) 0.51 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN PETERSON, CONGRESSMAN OF PENNSYLVANIA SAYING: "I'd like to add on behalf of the family that their life stopped two hundred and forty five days ago, that's a long time. They've had no family, they had no ability to communicate. Months go by with no letters. Cheri writes him regularly, he writes her regularly, the letters do not get delivered either way. They're not able to talk to each other on the phone , they're not able to have any communication. Later today will be her fourth chance to speak to her husband in 245 days" 4. PARTY DEPARTS 1.24 MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 5, 2000) (REUTERS)(NIGHT VIEW) 5. MV CHERI POPE AND JOHN PETERSON WALK TOGETHER HAVING MET WITH EDMOND POPE 1.37 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHERI POPE, SAYING: "Ed looked the worst I have ever seen him in his whole life. His skin has almost an elderly faction to it. It's a translucent fragility and his veins are sticking out and he's had very high blood pressure. I know I pleaded before but I want to plead with Mr. Clinton. This is a very sick man and he needs medical care now. Not a week from now, not a month from now, he needs medical care and a medical evaluation now and I am begging you, let him go to a hospital and let him get the care he needs." 2.35 7. SCU CAMERAMAN 2.39 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHERI POPE, SAYING "We were again warned that if we discuss the trial or the statement I would be given one warning and then I would be removed from the room and it just wasn't worth the risk." 2.51 9. MV CHERI DEPARTING WITH OTHERS/ VEHICLE DRIVES AWAY (3 SHOTS) 3.21 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st December 2000 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA1KG0Y18WGYSYLL8KCC3ZHV49P
- Story Text: The wife of U.S. spy suspect Edmond Pope, Cheri, has
met with her husband in Moscow. Although restricted from
discussing details of their meeting Mrs. Pope said that her
husband is a very sick man in need of medical attention.
Edmond Pope is due to make his final speech before the
court on Wednesday (December 6).
Cheri Pope and U.S Congressman John Peterson met with
Edmond Pope's lawyer Pavel Astakhov a day before her husband's
final speech before the court. Cheri was in Moscow on her
third visit since her husband was arrested in April on charges
of trying to acquire secret material on Russian high-speed
torpedoes.
The prosecution is seeking a 20-year term and a verdict is
expected some time this week. Astakhov and Cheri have both
said a 20-year jail term would amount to a death sentence for
Pope, who is suffering from a rare form of bone cancer.
The court had given Cheri permission to meet Edmond at
Lefortovo prison on Tuesday (December 5).
Before meeting Edmond Pope, Congressman of Pennsylvania,
John Peterson, told the media that the couple have struggled
to communicate with each other.
"Months go by with no letters. Cheri writes him regularly,
he writes her regularly, the letters do not get delivered
either way. They're not able to talk to each other on the
phone , they're not able to have any communication. Later
today will be her fourth chance to speak to her husband in 245
days," he said.
Asked what she planned to do if Pope was found guilty Cheri
said she would have to leave for a while and then come back to
Moscow to be by her husband's side.
Congressman John Peterson said on her behalf that they would
make a collective appeal to Russian and U.S Presidents to
resolve the situation and allow Pope to go home.
The case has strained Russian-U.S. relations.
Having met with her husband a distraught Cheri Pope said her
husband, "looked the worst I have ever seen him in his whole
life," adding that he "is a very sick man and he needs medical
care now."
When asked to reveal details of their meeting Cheri Pope
explained that "we were again warned that if we discuss the
trial or the statement I would be given one warning and then I
would be removed from the room and it just wasn't worth the risk."
However, speaking to the media, Mrs. Pope begged U.S.
President once again to intervene.
Clinton has personally asked for Pope to be freed on health
grounds, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the
judicial process must run its course before he can consider a
pardon or an early release.
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