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Hanssen May Escape Death Penalty NewsMax.com WiresWASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has agreed not to seek the death penalty against accused FBI spy Robert P. Hanssen if he cooperates with prosecutors, reports said Friday. The decision, however, can change if the Department felt that Hanssen was not cooperating with the inquiry, official sources told journalists in Washington. A former FBI agent, Hanssen is accused of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia for as long as 15 years. The Justice Department usually prefers to forgo a full trial in spy cases. Going to trial raises the prospect of prosecutors having to reveal in open court sensitive information about U.S. counterintelligence activities. Most modern espionage cases have ended with deals in which the defendants have agreed to plead guilty and tell the government about their activities in exchange for lesser sentences. During a brief arraignment on May 31, Hanssen pleaded innocent of charges listed in a 21-count indictment. The indictment accused Hanssen of conspiracy to commit espionage, 19 counts of espionage, one count of attempted espionage and a request by the government that, if convicted, Hanssen would be forced to forfeit any property gained by the alleged espionage. Fourteen of the counts carry a maximum penalty of a death sentence. Hanssen is accused of working for Moscow from inside the FBI since 1985 in exchange for about $1.4 million in cash and diamonds. The former FBI agent was indicted May 16 after plea-bargain negotiations with the Justice Department broke down. His attorneys said the department had refused to rule out seeking the death penalty in exchange for Hanssen's complete cooperation with investigators. However, neither side has ruled out further negotiations before Hanssen's trial, scheduled for Oct. 29. Hanssen's cooperation is considered essential if investigators are to learn the full extent of the damage he allegedly caused. Hanssen has been detained without bond at an undisclosed federal facility since his arrest Feb. 18 at a Virginia park. Law officials say he was delivering a package for pick up by his Russian handlers. Prosecutors believe Hanssen, now 57, spied for Moscow for much of the last 15 years, using his former position as an FBI counterintelligence official. The U.S. attorney's office in Alexandria said last month that Hanssen, "a career FBI agent who worked in the National Security Division (of the bureau)," delivered documents to Soviet agents, and later Russian agents that contained "information relating to the national defense of the United States." Hanssen also is charged with giving the Russians the identities of "individuals acting as agents of the United States (in Russia)," resulting in the deaths of two of the agents. Some of the documents allegedly transmitted by Hanssen to the Russians "were those which directly concerned satellites, early warning systems, means of defense or retaliation against large-scale attack, communications intelligence and major elements of defense strategy." Conviction on several of the counts could lead to the death penalty (unless the deal with the Justice Department is finalized) or life in prison. Conviction on any of the counts could result in fines of up to $250,000. Hanssen allegedly kept his identity secret even from his Russian handlers, and worked with them using the code name "Ramon." Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved.
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