Lori Berenson Freed After Almost 15 Years in Peruvian Prison

European Pressphoto Agency

After being sentenced to life in prison in 1995, NYC native Lori Berenson has been freed in Peru. Her conditional parole (she must remain in the country for another five years) comes at the end of a long political and legal struggle, which transformed Berenson into a high profile left-wing symbol on par with Mumia Abu-Jamal. Berenson was arrested on a bus in Peru 15 years ago and convicted of collaborating with the Marxist rebel group MRTA in a foiled terrorist plot to take the Peruvian Congress hostage. Yesterday a judge in Lima ruled that she had "completed re-education, rehabilitation and re-socialization."

Berenson had long maintained her innocence, but her release was finally granted after her lawyers admitted she "recognized she committed errors in involving herself in activities of the MRTA." Upon learning of the court's decision, her father, a college professor in New Jersey, was overjoyed, and told the Post, "I let out a shout that I think my daughter heard in Peru." Berenson, 40, gave birth to a son in prison last year; her husband, Aníbal Apari, was arrested with her in 1995 and has served as her attorney since his release from prison. The couple is currently separated, but Apari was in the courtroom yesterday, and the Times reports that they "briefly hugged" when the decision was read.

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By John Del Signore in News on May 26, 2010 10:30 AM

Comments [rss]

click

Geez, you are a mean and vengeful lot! She is paying for involvement in a foreign conflict. She is paying for what she believed was necessary for her to do. So shut the f**k up. As if the USA is not responsible for millions of deaths around the world, imposing "democracy," to people who have said, "thank you, but no thank you."

Some of you exhibit the intelligence of a box of rocks! All you know how to do is dole out hatred and ignorance.

Greenpoint60

When they set her free she should go to Cuba where she belongs.

She is not welcome in the USA

pebbles

Why don't you go back to whatever country in Europe you came from.. and took this land from the Indians and took me from the Real Motherland to build it for free for you no good AZZ...you white boys never cease to amaze me with your stupid words out of your stupid mouths.

etypical

You're free to return to your 'motherland' whenever you like sir.

pebbles

I will go when you go back to where you came from...leave the young lady alone she did you no wrong...you just listen to what fox has to say, and as we all know they are RACISTS over there.

ny21

pebbles,

did you live in Peru in that era?

do you know how many people were killed by her group?

do you recall her making a fist and chanting "VIVA MRTA" when she was convicted?

do you know how many people were in fear of their lives on a daily basis?

I have no doubts that you didn't live in Peru at that time and that you have no idea what it is to have car bombs explode in front of you. Be glad you didn't lose your parents or another family member because of people like Lori Berenson.

I wish I could show you all the devastation these terrorists created. Unless you have endured it, you'll never know.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

Greenpoint60

Hey I who fought in the American Revolution, this is my country, Berenson is a Red, she belongs in Cuba not here

pebbles

Did you forget about the beautiful people that were here when you got here??? how can you fight for something that is not your???

Clarice City

Stop drinking in the morning.

Polemicist

I would like to thank gothamist for constantly proving on a daily basis that the dwindling number descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants of the European continent in the Americas should be very afraid.

Clarice City

This is what happens when a spoiled child of two college professor parents with a trust fund thinks they're going to revolutionize a third world country. When she lived with the terrorists, they resided in the most expensive and secure neighborhood in Lima. Why does this woman annnoy the shit out of me? Probably because she went to the Bill Ayers school of martyrdom.

pebbles

when i saw your post...i saw an idiot...if this young lady gone down there to kill someone that was against this wicked ameriKKKa, she would not have spent one day in jail...you all need to get your heads out of your AZZ's and see the real picture of the World...these countries use to be called Banana Plantations...and why??? because white boys in ameriKKKa owned them, lock, stock and barrell...just look at the houseboy, the puppet,Fujimori...where is he now??? he is the one that had the Beautiful young lady jailed...IN JAIL HIMSELF for Human rights violations...kinda like the chickens came home huh??? I beg you to wake up...but I know it is impossible, because you are the kind..."my country right or wrong" kind of guy or gal!!!

etypical

and you are an illiterate 'tard.

theplanetofchuck

What the hell are you talking about? I suggest you invest in a MLA grammar book or something. Christ I can't figure out what your position is at all, except you hate white people, but that doesn't have anything to do with the article or to the comment you replied. Remove some of the "pebbles" from your brain then come back to the grown-ups table.

PS. The Peruvian court made a mistake, she should not be free.

pebbles

yes that all you can say boy because you know that what I said is the truth and from what I have seen in life is that stupid white boys cannot face the truth...if she had gone to Cuba to kill Castro would you be so hard on her??? no you would not because your govt. and fox news has made you a "MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO" oh yes send me that grammer book because as you know we cannot read or write.