RNC 8 Trial Date Set For October 25; Hearings in May
On Tuesday, the RNC 8 and a courtroom full of supporters sat through a hearing regarding several motions that had been filed in the previous months. While the proceedings were less than riveting, there were some surprising results. Even our old friend Bob Fletcher couldn’t resist showing up briefly to watch today’s hearing. Biggest news of the day? The trial date is set for October 25, 2010, so mark your calendars now.
Related: Letter from the RNC 8, January 2010 | New Video: We're Getting Ready For Court [YT] |RNC 8 on CUAPB-TV--Eye on Justice Other Coverage: TC Daily Planet | Finance and Commerce || Ramsey County Attorney/Gubernatorial Candidate Gaertner receives 2.07% of the vote at Tuesday's DFL caucuses
There will also be a number of new motions heard in May, so mark these dates as well: May 3-6, 13, and 14. During these days, the lawyers for the 8 will argue motions such as ones to suppress evidence seized during the preemptive raids prior to the RNC, and the probable cause motion as a part of evidentiary hearings that will include testimony from witnesses. More information will be available as the dates approach, but court support will be needed as always.
In addition to scheduling the hearing and trial dates, Judge Teresa Warner granted the motion to use a jury questionnaire. This questionnaire will hopefully result in a more thorough examination of the jurors. She also took under advisement other motions regarding payments to FBI informants, and the discriminatory motion. The motion re: IndyTACT was withdrawn and may be refiled at a later date. We hope to receive favorable rulings on those soon and will let you know when we hear the results.
In addition to scheduling the hearing and trial dates, Judge Teresa Warner granted the motion to use a jury questionnaire. This questionnaire will hopefully result in a more thorough examination of the jurors. She also took under advisement other motions regarding payments to FBI informants, and the discriminatory motion. The motion re: IndyTACT was withdrawn and may be refiled at a later date. We hope to receive favorable rulings on those soon and will let you know when we hear the results.
As the pre-trial work proceeds and the trial date approaches, we need all the help and support we can get to fight these bogus charges! Now is a perfect time to get involved. Come to the next RNC 8 Defense Committee meeting to get plugged in:
Sunday, February 7, 3:30pm
Walker Community Church (in the basement)
3104 16th Ave S, Minneapolis
Sunday, February 7, 3:30pm
Walker Community Church (in the basement)
3104 16th Ave S, Minneapolis
Comments
Does anyone else wondder if
Does anyone else wondder if people will look back over the years and say, "Wow, we spent half our time doing things revolving around 10 people." How does focusing so much energy on 10 people (8 people here and 2 people there) count as activism to change society? Personally, I'm sort of sick of hearing about the same 10 people every few weeks.
That's better than looking
That's better than looking back and saying, "Wow, we let 10 awesome people get railroaded by the state because we didn't have the attention span to do anything about it."
Do you have so many friends and comrades that you can afford to be so cavalier about their lives?
that's YOUR problem
"Personally, I'm sort of sick of hearing about the same 10 people every few weeks."
Hmm, that's odd - if you're really sick about the same people over and over, what you're listening to sure hasn't come from the RNC 8 or their supporters. Did you see the last letter they wrote?
http://www.twincities.indymedia.org/2010/jan/january-2010-letter-rnc-8
It barely even talks about themselves at all. It talks about others facing state repression and the systemic changes necessary to create another world.
If you think work for social justice in the Twin Cities revolves around supporting 10 people, that notion comes from YOU alone. Try taking a look at some of the other news over on the newswires on the right, and then come back and tell us with a straight face that nobody's working on anything else.