 In 1960 , the Soviet Union shot down a United States U @-@ 2 spy plane . The Soviets captured its pilot , Gary Powers , and tried him for committing espionage against the Soviet Union . At first , the United States believed that Powers could be freed by crafting an argument regarding international principles . To this end , Miskovsky and two other lawyers ( Alexander W. Parker and Frank Rogers ) wrote a brief stating that Power 's U @-@ 2 plane did not violate Soviet airspace any more than Sputnik violated American airspace . However , the Soviet Union refused to allow foreigners to defend Powers . Powers was ultimately defended by a lawyer who acted as a spokesman for the Soviet government . 
