Babar’s Plea Bargain

Actors:

Mohammed Junaid Babar (Defendant)
Victor Marrero (District Judge) 
David N. Kelley (U.S. Attorney)
Lisa Baroni (Assistant U.S. Attorney)
Daniel Ollen (Defense Attorney)

Location: United States District Court, Southern District of New York

Date: June 3, 2004

Synopsis:  Mohammed Junai Babar, who was born in Pakistan and moved with his family to the U.S. when he was two years old, was arrested in the U.S. in April 2004 and charged for having allegedly supplied materials such as night vision goggles, sleeping bags, waterproof socks and ponchos and money to an alleged al-Qaeda official in Pakistan. For his alleged crime he was threatened with a maximum sentence of 70 years imprisonment.  He was then offered to exempt the U.S. government from the burden of proving his guilt by pleading guilty without trial and by promising to cooperate with the U.S. government in testifying against friends and providing other infomation as requested to the government. For these services, he was promised that the government would ask the court to reduce his sentence.  Babar’s lawyer, paid by the government, encouraged Babar to accept this plea bargain.

Babar’s Plea Bargain takes place when the judge explains to Babar the rules of this bargain.  If you liked the play, send a thank you card to the author, Hon. Judge Victor Marrero.  He would appreciate the honor of being named, along Franz Kafka, as a playwright.