U.S. Supreme Court won't review 'Cuban Five' spy convictions

WASHINGTON -- (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Monday refused to review the convictions of five Cuban intelligence agents who say they did not receive a fair trial because of strong anti-Castro sentiment in Miami.

The justices left in place the convictions of the so-called ''Cuban Five,'' despite calls from Nobel Prize winners and international legal groups to review the case.

The five -- Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, Rene Gonzalez and Gerardo Hernandez -- were convicted on charges of acting as unregistered Cuban agents in the United States and of espionage conspiracy for attempting to penetrate U.S. military bases.

Hernandez was also convicted of murder conspiracy in the deaths of four Miami-based pilots whose planes, part of the Brothers to the Rescue organization, were shot down by Cuban fighter jets in 1996 off the island's coast.

The five have been lionized as heroes in Cuba, while exile groups say they were justly punished.

Ten Nobel Prize winners and lawyers and legal groups from more than a dozen countries urged the high court to step into the case.

The Obama administration contended that the convictions were fairly won, and that a high court review was unnecessary.