The Case of Morton Sobell

New York: National Committee to Secure Justice for Morton Sobell in the Rosenberg Case, 1950s. Presumed first. Pamphlet in printed, stapled thin wraps; 31 pages: b&w photos; 17 cm. An inch-long closed tear and small edge chip to rear wrap, else clean crisp and overall very good thus. Paperback.

"Morton Sobell (1917-2018) was an American engineer and co-defendant in the infamous espionage trial that led to the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1953. Sobell was born in New York City and graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in engineering. He worked on radar and navigation systems during World War II and later at Reeves Instrument Corporation, a defense contractor. In 1951, Sobell was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit espionage, accused of passing information about radar and other defense systems to the Soviet Union during and after World War II. He was tried alongside the Rosenbergs, who were accused of sharing nuclear secrets with the Soviets. Sobell was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He served 18 years and 9 months before being released in 1969. For many years, Sobell maintained his innocence. However, in 2008, he admitted in an interview with The New York Times that he had been a Soviet spy, confirming that he had handed over military and industrial secrets to the Soviets during the Cold War. After his release from prison, Sobell became an advocate for prison reform and wrote about his experiences in his memoir, "On Doing Time." He passed away in 2018."—Bing. ¶ About the author: "Denis Nowell Pritt (1887-1972), often known as D. N. Pritt, was a prominent British barrister and Labour Party politician. He was known for his left-wing views and his legal work on a number of high-profile political and civil rights cases. Pritt was called to the bar in 1910 and quickly established a successful legal career. He was elected as a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Hammersmith North in 1935. However, his political views often put him at odds with his party. He was expelled from the Labour Party in 1940 for his support of the Soviet Union's invasion of Finland. Despite his expulsion, Pritt continued to serve as an independent MP until 1950. He also continued his legal work, representing clients in a number of politically charged cases. These included the defence of the leaders of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and advocacy for the decolonization of Africa. Pritt wrote extensively on legal and political issues, with numerous books and articles to his name. He remained politically active until his death in 1972. His life and career were marked by his commitment to civil liberties, anti-colonialism, and socialist principles."—Bing ¶  olitical prisoners -- United States. Espionnage -- États-Unis. Prisonniers politiques -- États-Unis. Espionage. Political prisoners. Named Person: Sobell, Morton. Sobell, Morton. Illustrated law -- Prisons. Illustrated law -- Trials -- Political. Pamphlets. Geographic: United States. Julius & Ethel Rosenberg