Friday,
January 25,
JUSTICE for
The
ANNOTICO Report
In
the first three trials, the Three Leaders of the Protest, University of
Colorado political science professor Glenn
Morris; the Rev.
Julie Todd, a Methodist minister; and Koreena Montoya, of Denver. the Jury ruled guilty, and the Judge while being asked by
prosecutors to impose a one-year suspended jail term, the three received only
fines of $200, $ 200, and $50. 80 more accused are awaiting trial.
The
Protestors had hoped that calling for Jury Trials for every one of the
arrested, that the work load would overwhelm the system, and that the District
Attorney's office would dismiss the charges, as it did the previous year, not
wanting to have to put so much resources on
"civil disobedience" cases.
However,
the Prosecutors wanted to take a tough stance
against the illegal protests this year recognizing that it will help deter
trouble during the upcoming Democratic National Convention in August.
Of
the 12 Comments at the end of the article, all 12 agreed with the court's
decision!!!!!!
Thanks to Walters Santi
Rocky
Mountain News
By
Berny Morson
January
23, 2008
The first three
of more than 80 protesters to be tried for blocking a Columbus Day parade in
October were found guilty in Denver District Court on Tuesday.
Sentenced to
fines were
An appeal is
possible, said
The protesters
delayed the parade by more than one hour when they sat down on
Lane asked the
four-woman, five-man jury to consider that the protesters had no other way to
make known their point that celebrating
Lane told the
jurors that the delay of the Columbus Day parade was insignificant compared
with the suffering of Indians since
But they crossed
the legal line when they attempted to block
Jury Foreman
Terry Smith, a retired Ford executive, said that the panel based the decision
only on whether the evidence showed the defendants committed the acts with
which they were charged - not the message the protesters were trying to convey.
The protesters
were charged with variations of blocking a street, interfering with a lawful
assembly and resisting arrest. Each was convicted on at least one count.
Morris, who has
participated in several of the protests against the annual Columbus Day parade
in recent years, was given a $200 fine, plus $41 of fees.
Morris also must
pay $323.53, the cost of cleaning up the theatrical blood.
The cost is so
high because police called in a hazardous materials unit to do the cleaning
before the parade was allowed to proceed.
Todd was fined
$100, with $50 suspended, and Montoya must pay $200.
Drazen-Smith had asked
Morris said at
his sentencing that the protest was "an act of conscience."
"Our country
is taken. Our people are destroyed, and we are the criminals. . . . There's no
justice in that," he said.
morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com
or 303-954-5209
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