St. Patrick's Four trial is ended.

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Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:28:37 -0700 (PDT)

St. Patrick's Four trial is ended.

 

 

 

 

(For some time now, the government has been limiting people's defense.

It is hard enough for a person to fight the government's big machine, but then

they place severe limitis on what the defendent is allowed to use to defend

themselves.)

 

 

 

This from David Jenkins, who has attended the one-week

trial in Binghamton, NY.

 

Lisa, quoting the press release:

 

For Immediate Release

September 26, 2005

St. Patrick's Four Not Guilty of Conspiracy; Charged

with Misdemeanors

 

(9/26/05 -- BINGHAMTON, NY) Members of the St.

Patrick's Four, their families, friends and legal team

were grateful to learn that the jury, after over seven

hours of deliberation, had found the peace activists

not guilty of the most serious charge, conspiracy to

impede an officer of the United States.

 

" The decision to acquit on the conspiracy charge, a

felony, is a huge victory, given the narrow parameters

within which the four could present their defense, and

given the restrictions on deliberations. This is a

major setback in the government's efforts to

criminalize dissent, " said Bill Quigley, acclaimed

public interest lawyer and law professor at Loyola

University School of Law, who has been acting as legal

advisor to the defendants.

 

The four were convicted on lesser charges, damage to

property and trespassing, both misdemeanors which

carry possible sentences of one year and six months

respectively.

 

" Regardless of the penalties, we will continue to call

for justice for the Iraqi people and our troops, "

stated Daniel Burns, one of the four defendants. " We

know our principled dissent now represents the

majority of the public, and we're inspired by the

jury's decision to refuse the government's attempt at

intimidation. "

 

The decision did not surprise the defendants, given

Senior U.S. District Judge Hon. Thomas J. McAvoy

forbade them to present to the jury the legal context,

particularly international treaties and the US

Constitution, which would have made possible and

reasonable an acquittal on all charges.

 

More here: http://www.stpatricksfour.org/