5 day of Pre-Trial hearing of the RNC 8, young organizers before the 2008 RNC Conv

[annm4peace]

I am a founding member of Peace Fresno that was spied on for 6 months by Fresno Co. Deputy Sheriff before he was killed in motorcycle accident.

I now live in Minneapolis since 2002.. and in when RNC announced the Convention was to be in Minnesota, they local law enforcement, SS, FBI, etc when to work to infiltrate the peace and social justice groups.

They targeted young people. I stand with these people in the name of Peace Fresno.

These young people face felony charges based on keystone cop infiltrators and a funny video.
It has been an outrage the waste of our tax dollars and of these young people lives, just to try an intimate those who organize.

http://rnc8.org/ ** go to the left side to see the updates of the PRE-TRIAL.

Here is from yesterday's hearing:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2010

Contact: Jude Ortiz (RNC 8 Defense Committee), 612.886.4565, [e-mail]; Attorney: Larry Leventhal, 612.333.5747

Deputy Jay Maher Testifies to Lack of Evidence to Substantiate RNC 8 Conspiracy Charges

Informant Chris Dugger to Testify Today Despite State’s Case Weakening as Police Officers Testify

St. Paul, Minn. — Yesterday, Ramsey County Deputy Jay Maher testified that he found no evidence of a conspiracy to commit riot or cause criminal damage to property despite his extensive surveillance of the RNC 8 and other alleged members of the RNC Welcoming Committee.

Maher’s investigation took him to five states, from Maryland to California, where he photographed people coming and going from meetings that were open to the public. In testimony yesterday, Maher revealed that his investigation focused on activities protected by the right to freedom of association guaranteed by the First Amendment. Maher also testified that he asked law enforcement officers in several departments to assist his investigation by orchestrating traffic stops of the subjects of his surveillance to identify them and gather intelligence on them.

“Maher’s sweeping investigation did everything to repress the expression of dissent and freedom of association, and nothing to protect and serve the community,” said Melissa Hill of the RNC 8 Defense Committee. “The tremendous waste of state resources to fund his excursions across the country to photograph people engaging in Constitutionally protected activities is both mind boggling and characteristic of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department’s conduct prior to and during the Republican National Convention.”

Prosecutor Derek Fitch focused much of his cross-examination of Maher on the satirical video “We’re Getting Ready” that the Welcoming Committee released in 2007. Maher testified that he did not see satire in the video and thought it could be evidence of criminal behavior even though he could not point to any criminal acts within it. Rather than having evidence of criminal conduct, Maher only offered his opinions of the video and other political statements published on the Welcoming Committee’s website to substantiate his claims that the RNC 8 are guilty of the conspiracy charges they are facing.

“The complete lack of substance in Maher’s testimony underscores the political motivations behind these charges,” Hill continued. “And Fitch’s continued attempts to characterize a satirical piece of free speech as proof positive of criminal intent shows how few straws there are for the state to grasp at.”

The RNC 8 will return to court this morning at 9am to continue the probable cause hearing, which could determine whether their cases go on to trial in October or not. Paid informant Chris Dugger is expected to take the stand at 9am. The court also expects to discuss the serving of the subpoena for FBI informant Andrew Darst, who was expected to testify this week, and the date for the make-up hearing in June. Motions to suppress evidence are also expected to be heard today. Yesterday, Judge Teresa R. Warner denied the motion to return the bail posted for the defendants.

Copies of the motions and detailed notes from the hearings are located at http://www.rnc8.org/info.

The previous May hearing press releases are located at:

May 4: http://rnc8.org/2010/05/for-immediate-release-rnc-8-argue-motion-to-dismiss-felony-conspiracy-charges-for-lack-of-probable-cause/

May 5: http://rnc8.org/2010/05/for-immediate-release-three-ramsey-county-sheriff%e2%80%99s-deputies-take-the-stand-in-full-day-of-rnc-8-probable-cause-hearing/

May 6: http://rnc8.org/2010/05/for-immediate-release-undercover-deputy-marilyn-hedstrom-testifies-to-lack-of-evidence-against-the-rnc-8/

Stay up-to-date on the latest developments by following us on Twitter: @defendthernc8.

[annm4peace]

1. if you live in Minnesota, send this to your Rep.

The tremendous waste of state resources to fund his excursions across the country to photograph people engaging in Constitutionally protected activities is both mind boggling and characteristic of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department’s conduct prior to and during the Republican National Convention.”

[joeybee12]

2. KNR

[Coleen Rowley]

3. What a waste of tax money!

Has anyone testified to how much money was spent on this year-long plus targeting? Three informants, three undercovers and all the local surveillance, i.e. the undercover who came down to the Northfield library for the panel discussion of the "Northfield People of Peace and Goodwill" just because of a satire video?! I forgot to mention the Dept of Homeland Security scouring all the on-line contacts between all the various organizing groups including our "Women Against Military Madness" group and then concocting these absurd link analysis charts connecting the groups together for their "Highway Watch" analysis.

Too bad there are not more Michael Moore types making movies as this is right out of the scene about "Peace Fresno" in his "Fahrenheit 911" movie.

Hopefully Amy Goodman's lawsuit will get a lot of this exposed.

[mmonk]

4. Thanks.

I have the RNC 8 on my blog. I look at what was done at the Convention with journalists and protestors protesting real grievances and misdeeds of government and I look around now at armed protestors carrying on with subversive messages and speeches about overthrowing the government over imaginary things and wonder what kind of crazy place I live in.

[MNmom]

5. It is mind boggling.

This incredible effort to target people OPPOSED to war. There have been cutbacks in MN in every area - schools, healthcare, libraries, roads, etc. etc. etc. - but endless money to frame peaceniks. Appalling.

[annm4peace]

6. I attended yesterday

It is absolutely amazing how the Prosecution has no evidence.

They have yet to have one information confirm that any of the RNC 8 even talked about hating cops, or wanting something violent to happen to the cops.

The only thing that is close to being called violence is the satirical campy video.. that the undercover cops "didn't think was funny".

the only people made threats of violence to cops was the undercover cops themselves as part of their cover.

This prosecution and if she decides to go to their, this judge Warner have made a complete mockery of our justice system and use it for political intimidation.