Editing Iran–Contra affair (section)

===Indictments===
[[File:Oliver North mug shot.jpg|thumb|[[Oliver North|North]]'s mugshot,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Iran-Contra Affair • Levin Center |url=https://levin-center.org/what-is-oversight/portraits/the-iran-contra-affair/ |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=Levin Center |language=en-US}}</ref> after his arrest]]
* [[Caspar Weinberger]], [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]], was indicted on two counts of [[perjury]] and one count of [[obstruction of justice]] on 16 June 1992.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iran/1992/920606-231623.htm |title=Weinberger charged in Iran-Contra matter |publisher=[[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] |date=16 June 1992 |access-date=20 August 2024 |via=GlobalSecurity.org}}</ref> However, he was pardoned by [[George H. W. Bush]] on 24 December 1992, before he could be tried.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-george-h-w-bush-1989-1993#december1992|title=Pardons and Commutations Granted by President George H. W. Bush|date=12 January 2015 |access-date=20 August 2024|publisher=United States Department of Justice}}</ref>
* [[Robert C. McFarlane]], National Security Adviser, convicted of withholding evidence, but after a plea bargain was given only two years of probation. Later pardoned by President [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Pichirallo |first=Joe |date=12 March 1988 |title=McFarlane Enters Guilty Plea Arising From Iran-Contra Affair; Former Reagan Adviser Withheld Information From Congress |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
* [[Elliott Abrams]], Assistant [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]], convicted of withholding evidence, but after a plea bargain was given only two years probation. Later pardoned by President [[George H. W. Bush]].{{sfn|Walsh|1993|p=xxiii}}
* [[Alan D. Fiers]], Chief of the CIA's Central American Task Force, convicted of withholding evidence and sentenced to one year probation. Later pardoned by President [[George H. W. Bush]].
* [[Clair George]], Chief of Covert Ops-CIA, convicted on two charges of perjury, but pardoned by President [[George H. W. Bush]] before sentencing.{{sfn|Walsh|1993|loc=chpt. 17}}
* [[Oliver North]], member of the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] was indicted on 16 charges.<ref name=indictment>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/17/world/north-poindexter-and-2-others-indicted-on-iran-contra-fraud-and-theft-charges.html |title=North, Poindexter and 2 Others Indicted on Iran-Contra Fraud and Theft Charges |last=Shenon |first=Philip |work=The New York Times |access-date=29 December 2018 |date=17 March 1988 |at=sec. A. p. 1 |edition=National |archive-date=30 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030064011/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/17/world/north-poindexter-and-2-others-indicted-on-iran-contra-fraud-and-theft-charges.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A jury convicted him of accepting an illegal gratuity, obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destruction of documents. The convictions were overturned on appeal because his [[Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Fifth Amendment]] rights may have been violated by use of his immunized public testimony<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/21/us/civil-liberties-union-asks-court-to-quash-iran-contra-indictment.html |date=21 July 1988 |title=Civil Liberties Union Asks Court To Quash Iran-Contra Indictment |first=Philip |last=Shanon |work=The New York Times |edition=National |at=sec. A. p. 14 |access-date=29 December 2018 |archive-date=30 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130122642/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/21/us/civil-liberties-union-asks-court-to-quash-iran-contra-indictment.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and because the judge had incorrectly explained the crime of destruction of documents to the jury.<ref name="dc-north">{{cite court|litigants=U.S. v. North|vol=910|reporter=F.2d|opinion=843|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/910/843/463467/|court=D.C. Cir.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802044803/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/910/843/463467/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Fawn Hall]], Oliver North's secretary, was given immunity from prosecution on charges of conspiracy and destroying documents in exchange for her testimony.<ref>Hall, North Trial Testimony, 3/22/89, pp. 5311–5316, and 3/23/89, pp. 5373–5380, 5385–5387; Chapter 5 Fawn Hall 147</ref>
* Jonathan Scott Royster, Liaison to Oliver North, was given immunity from prosecution on charges of conspiracy and destroying documents in exchange for his testimony.<ref>royster, North Trial Testimony, 3/22/89, pp. 5311–5317, and 3/23/89 pp. 5373–5380, 5386–5386; Chapter 6 Scott Royster 148</ref>
* National Security Advisor [[John Poindexter]] was convicted of five counts of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, [[perjury]], defrauding the government, and the alteration and destruction of evidence. A panel of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit|D.C. Circuit]] overturned the convictions on 15 November 1991 for the same reason the court had overturned Oliver North's, and by the same 2 to 1 vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/951/369/257995/|title=United States of America v. John M. Poindexter, Appellant, 951 F.2d 369 (D.C. Cir. 1992)|website=Justia Law|accessdate=25 June 2023|archive-date=25 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625154611/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/951/369/257995/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] refused to hear the case.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iran-Contra Appeal Refused by Court |first=Linda |last=Greenhouse |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/08/us/supreme-court-roundup-iran-contra-appeal-refused-by-court.html |newspaper=The New York Times |edition=National |at=sec. A. p. 22 |date=8 December 1992 |access-date=29 December 2018 |archive-date=13 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613210734/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/08/us/supreme-court-roundup-iran-contra-appeal-refused-by-court.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Duane Clarridge]]. An ex-CIA senior official, he was indicted in November 1991 on seven counts of perjury and false statements relating to a November 1985 shipment to Iran. Pardoned before trial by President [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-C.I.A. Official Charged on Iran Arms |first=David |last=Johnston |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/27/us/ex-cia-official-charged-on-iran-arms.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=27 November 1991 |at=sec. A. p. 12 |edition=National |access-date=29 December 2018 |archive-date=9 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109173818/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/27/us/ex-cia-official-charged-on-iran-arms.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Iran-Contra Pardons |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JbYzAAAAIBAJ&pg=4087,3010575&dq=duane+clarridge&hl=en |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Bangor Daily News |location=Bangor, Maine |date=24 December 1992 |page=2 |access-date=14 January 2011 |archive-date=11 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811135837/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JbYzAAAAIBAJ&pg=4087,3010575&dq=duane+clarridge&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Richard V. Secord]].  Former Air Force major general, who was involved in arms transfers to Iran and diversion of funds to Contras, he pleaded guilty in November 1989 to making false statements to Congress and was sentenced to two years of probation. As part of his plea bargain, Secord agreed to provide further truthful testimony in exchange for the dismissal of remaining criminal charges against him.<ref name="The Iran-Contra Defendants">{{cite news |title=The Iran-Contra Defendants |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4aIaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6774,768311&dq=albert+hakim+sentenced&hl=en |agency=Journal wire services |newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal |location=Milwaukee, Wisconsin |date=17 September 1991 |page=A6 |access-date=14 January 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Johnston" />
* [[Albert Hakim]]. A businessman, he pleaded guilty in November 1989 to supplementing the salary of North by buying a $13,800 fence for North with money from "the Enterprise," which was a set of foreign companies Hakim used in Iran–Contra. In addition, Swiss company Lake Resources Inc., used for storing money from arms sales to Iran to give to the Contras, plead guilty to stealing government property.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hakim, one company plead guilty to Iran-Contra counts |author=Pete Yost |url=https://news.google.com/newspapersid=Sx4jAAAAIBAJ&pg=1225,370748&dq=albert+hakim+pleaded+guilty&hl=en |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Modesto Bee |location=Modesto, CA |date=22 November 1989 |page=A-4 |access-date=14 January 2011}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Hakim was given two years of probation and a $5,000 fine, while Lake Resources Inc. was ordered to dissolve.<ref name="The Iran-Contra Defendants"/><ref name=nytimesobit>{{cite news |title=Albert Hakim, Figure in Iran-Contra Affair, Dies at 66 |work=The New York Times |date=1 May 2003 |at=sec. B. p. 8 |edition=National |access-date=28 December 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/01/us/albert-hakim-figure-in-iran-contra-affair-dies-at-66.html |first=Douglas |last=Martin |archive-date=22 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222002126/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/01/us/albert-hakim-figure-in-iran-contra-affair-dies-at-66.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Thomas G. Clines]]. A former CIA clandestine service officer. According to Special Prosecutor Walsh, he earned nearly $883,000 helping retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Richard V. Secord and Albert Hakim carry out the secret operations of "the Enterprise". He was indicted for concealing the full amount of his Enterprise profits for the 1985 and 1986 tax years, and for failing to declare his foreign financial accounts. He was convicted and served 16 months in prison, the only Iran–Contra defendant to have served a prison sentence.{{sfn|Walsh|1993|loc=chpt. 11}}

The [[Independent Counsel]], [[Lawrence Edward Walsh|Lawrence E. Walsh]], chose not to re-try North or Poindexter.<ref name="Johnston 1992">{{cite news |date=25 December 1992 |access-date=29 December 2018 |title=Bush Pardons 6 in Iran Affair, Averting a Weinberger Trial; Prosecutor Assails 'Cover-Up' |work=The New York Times |edition=National |at=sec. A. p. 1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/25/us/pardons-bush-pardons-6-iran-affair-aborting-weinberger-trial-prosecutor-assails.html |last=Johnston |first=David |archive-date=11 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411071350/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/25/us/pardons-bush-pardons-6-iran-affair-aborting-weinberger-trial-prosecutor-assails.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In total, several dozen people were investigated by Walsh's office.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/prosecutions.php |title=The Legal Aftermath: Prosecutions |website=Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs |publisher=Brown University |access-date=18 January 2018 |archive-date=9 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209115556/http://www.brown.edu/Research/Understanding_the_Iran_Contra_Affair/prosecutions.php |url-status=live }}</ref>