brandon darby

by MJ Essex, reposted from New Orleans Indymedia: In post-Katrina New Orleans, anarchist truths found fertile, if toxic grounds to take root and grow. New paths were walked on. Antiauthoritarian principles emerged as important guides for both reconstruction and the struggle against disaster capitalism. A million or more equally important stories can now be told about mutual aid, cooperation, subversion of authority, disruption of state and capitalist plans. And yet Brandon Darby's morality tale has become a media darling, due in no small part to his perfect and full adoption of his role as a state agent, regardless of whether it was official in 2006, or whether the FBI is still cutting him paychecks. We owe it to ourselves to tell these other stories of New Orleans, St. Paul and beyond.

Related: Months After RNC, 3 More Protesters Charged | Support the Texas 2 | CityPages: Meet Bob Fletcher

from The Rag Blog: http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/james-retherford-brandon-darby-te...

Hello friends -

This week on Chicago Public Radio/Public Radio International's This American Life, they debuted a story on Brandon Darby, the infamous RNC snitch. It's the second story in the show; it focuses on Brandon going from Katrina "hero" to informant. TAL is pretty liberal, and has been good to the cause before, so it's disappointing how apologetic it is toward Brandon. It's also pretty horrible how they glaze over activist theories in a way that put them down (i.e. "diversity of tactics" at around 39 minutes).

http://thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=381

Episode 381: Turncoat
A well-known activist—an anarchic, revolutionary activist—is accused of spying on other activists for the FBI. The strangest thing about the rumor is, it's true. How Brandon Darby transformed from cop-hater to federal witness. Plus, a new story by Etgar Keret, about a boy who betrays his people with a pair of shoes.

5/21-22: David McKay setenced to 4 years.  Coverage: Sentencing David McKay and Spinning the Media (CRASS) | Towards a More Empowering Militancy

5/19: The Star Tribune reports that FBI snitch Andrew Darst, convicted of assault earlier this year, avoids jail time in what appears to be a back room deal. Hennepin County prosecutor John Halla failed to show up for the sentencing by known racist judge Dan Mabley.

St. Paul City Attorney John Choi's record went from 1 RNC conviction to none over the weekend.  Medic Sean McCoy was convicted of public assembly without a permit and levied a $50 fine earlier this year.  Attorney Bruce Nestor then filed a motion for a new trial, which was granted on Friday.  Nestor believes it is unlikely the state will continue the prosecution.  However, in his decision (see PDF), Judge Edward Wilson rejected the argument that St. Paul's 25-person assembly ordinance is unconstitutional.  Meanwhile, 17-year-old Keith Smith goes to trial at 1:30 Monday at the Juvenile Justice Center at 7th and St. Peter in St. Paul.  The city appears to be prosecuting Smith, whose iconic stand (or sit) in front of police lines and subsequent injuries (pictured) made headlines,due to his likelihood to sue.  Read on for more court dates coming up fast. UPDATE: Smith was given an actual trial date in July.  The prosecutor seemed to indicate that he is continuing with the case due to the possibility of civil litigation.

RNC Analysis--Where's There's Smoke... Anarchism After the RNC: "Such a brutal reaction might lead us to believe that 'we must be doing something right.' After all, where there's smoke, there's fire, right?"

Crimethinc Releases RNC Analyses | FBI Infiltrated Iowa Anti-War Group Before RNC | Crowder Receives Two Year Sentence (McKay 10am Thurs.)| Open Letter to Susan Gaertner from Susan Mahoney | RNC 8 Protest Gaertner Fundraiser | Jesse James and the RNC Others | Still Healing from the RNC? Event June 7

mccoy-decision.pdf

In a tumultuous, somewhat stunning turn of events, David McKay's guilty plea was accepted in federal court in Minneapolis Tuesday, a day after Judge Davis indicated that he was unlikely to accept the plea on the basis of evidence pointing to entrapment by FBI informant and horrible human being-extraordinaire Brandon Darby at the original trial.  McKay had been motivated to plea at the last minute - supporters and courtwatchers did not know about the plea until Sunday evening - when the state compelled co-defendant Bradley Crowder to testify against him, threatening additional prison ti

UPDATE 3/17 10:30am: Judge decides to accept the guilty plea - details to follow. [Current details about entrapment dimensions coming up.] 12:50pm: Strib summary says entrapment claim dropped, McKay now held until sentencing. COINTELPRO still works, score another round for feds' provocateur playbook; pressuring multiple defendants worked for them.

UPDATE 3/16 2:50pm: No jury selection today. Potential jurors were in hallway as defense, prosecution debate plea. Judge will issue final decision on whether to accept plea at 9 am Tuesday. It is possible he may accept the plea, but seems unlikely. Important note for observers: 15 minutes before hearing, an arbitrary ruling that no backpacks will be allowed in the gallery. Don't bring a backpack! [Strib story on delay notes McKay doesn't fully withdraw prior claim he was entrapped]

UPDATE 3/16 2:15pm: Appears to be going into trial/jury selection. McKay attempts to plead guilty, but judge refuses to take the plea! [Judge may be convinced he was entrapped? Questions along these lines.]

UPDATE 3/16 9:30am: David McKay may take a plea to one charge of possession of a destructive device on Monday morning. Pressure to plea out has come from the government as co-defendant Bradley Crowder was to be subpoenaed for the first time to testify against McKay and was reportedly threatened with additional prison time (plus the Feds' credibility would be severely damaged by failing to convict him again). [Correction: It is now unknown if McKay could use an entrapment argument at his future sentencing.] All are invited to pack the courtroom at 9am Monday in a show of solidarity against dirty government tactics!

(original story below)

The retrial begins Monday March 16th, 9:00 AM, Room 15E, U.S. Courts Building, 300 South 4th St, Downtown Mineapolis.  Back in early February, David McKay's first trial ended in a hung jury after more than a week of proceedings and deliberation. It is believed that the jury could not decide if FBI informant Brandon Darby's involvment qualified as entrapment -- they were concerned with the difference between "inducing" and "persuading" an action. After the case was declared a mistrial, Judge Davis, who is presiding over this upcoming trial as well, allowed David to post bond and return home to Texas for the first time since September.

Twin Cities Indymedia will be providing ongoing coverage of the McKay Re-trial. Read on for more info and other RNC felony-related news. (TXT 'follow tcimc' to 40404 to get TC-IMC Twitter court updates to your phone) 

Twin Cities Indymedia coverage of January's trial. | Notes from Day 1, Day 2, | Hung Jury: McKay Free (Feb. 2) |  Retrial: Statement from Twin Cities RNC Felony Working Group | Statement from Austin Informant Working Group | Free the Texas Two | Information on informant Brandon Darby

On Monday, March 16, the retrial of Austin activist David McKay, accused of possessing Molotov cocktails at the Republican National Convention last September, will begin in Minneapolis. McKay’s first trial in late January was declared a mistrial as a result of a hung jury over the question of whether the conduct of the main informant in the case, Brandon Darby, constituted entrapment. While this was not the acquittal that was deserved, it remains a clear indictment of the government's conduct and use of informants.

Originally printed in Revolution Newspaper:
http://revcom.us/a/158online/RNC-pt-2-en.html

Read Part 1 here

Part 2: Informants and Undercover Agents: The Government’s Strategy To Disrupt, Set Up and Attack Opposition To The Republican National Convention

by Leslie Rose