United States of America v. General Manuel Antonio Noriega

Jon May represented General Manuel Noriega at trial and on appeal (along with Attorney Frank Rubino). In United States v. General Manuel Antonio Noriega, the Honorable William Hoeveler held that prisoners of war have the right to file suit in federal court to enforce the various protections of the Geneva Convention. 808 F.Supp. 791 (S.D. Fla. 1992).
In Noriega, the Court also confronted the conflict between the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial and the First Amendment right of the press to be free from prior restraints. The Eleventh Circuit recognized that in some circumstances the rights of the accused are paramount. 917 F.2d 1543 (11th Cir. 1990).
Judge Hoeveler also upheld the right of an accused to have access to his own funds for use for his defense absent an evidentiary showing by the government that the moneys in question were tainted assets. 746 F.Supp. 1541 (S.D. Fla. 1990).
Finally, Judge Hoeveler held that the Court has the authority under its supervisory powers to dismiss an indictment if confronted with evidence of conduct by government agents shocking to the conscience of humanity. 746 F.Supp. 1506 (S.D. Fla. 1990).
Attorney May also represented General Noriega in a successful effort to win a ten year reduction of sentence. As a result of that victory, General Noriega has been paroled. Currently Mr. May represents General Noriega against the efforts of the United States to extradite General Noriega to France.