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Saturday, July 28, 2007
The Verdict is in
Yesterday, I attended Carolyn's trial at the Westminster City court. It lasted eleven hours.
Denver Post article here.
Carolyn was charged with trespass and illegal assembly for sitting in Representative Udall's office in March. She, along with four others, were reading the names of Coloradoans who have died in Iraq, along with the names of many Iraqis who have died. After ten minutes of doing that action, she and the others were asked to leave. They refused, so the police were called. I need to say that activists had been sitting in the office for two days before that and that about 60 people had been coming in and out of the office, on this March day, in order to deliver their letters of concern regarding the war.
To save you the suspense, I'll let you know the verdict first. This was a verdict delivered by a six-member jury.
I'll write some of my observations and thoughts about the trial later. It is time to go to the Farmer's Market to buy my first big box of organic peaches this season.
Denver Post article here.
Carolyn was charged with trespass and illegal assembly for sitting in Representative Udall's office in March. She, along with four others, were reading the names of Coloradoans who have died in Iraq, along with the names of many Iraqis who have died. After ten minutes of doing that action, she and the others were asked to leave. They refused, so the police were called. I need to say that activists had been sitting in the office for two days before that and that about 60 people had been coming in and out of the office, on this March day, in order to deliver their letters of concern regarding the war.
To save you the suspense, I'll let you know the verdict first. This was a verdict delivered by a six-member jury.
Trespass charge: Guilty
Illegal Assembly charge: Not Guilty
Sentence (ordered by the judge):
365 days in jail and a $1000 fine.
Illegal Assembly charge: Not Guilty
Sentence (ordered by the judge):
365 days in jail and a $1000 fine.
But he waived all but 30 days of the jail sentence and 1/2 the fine.
I'll write some of my observations and thoughts about the trial later. It is time to go to the Farmer's Market to buy my first big box of organic peaches this season.
posted by Carol at 8:49 AM
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Libby Gets Pardoned and Carolyn Gets 60 Days
This Friday, a local activist will go to trial for sitting in the office of Colorado Congressman, Mark Udall, and reading the names of those who have died in Iraq. No, she didn't leave when asked (this is a public office, correct?). No, she didn't harm anyone and she didn't damage or take any property. For her dastardly deeds, though, we was offered a plea bargain of TWO MONTHS IN JAIL.
If you find this punishment to be an outlandish way to dissuade citizens from practicing their right to free speech; if you find the idea of jailing this woman for two months to be a huge and unnecessary waste of taxpayer's money, please call Mark Udall and tell him so at (303) 650-7820.
Oh, and in this wonderful land of the free that we call Colorado, the Colorado University Board of Regents voted to fire Ward Churchill today, thus silencing a professor whose voice didn't echo the sentiments of the majority in our country. And you thought that universities were places to encourage free thought...
Back to Carolyn:
Denver Post article
From the Colorado Daily:
WESTMINSTER - About 50 people protested in front of Congressman Mark Udall's office on Monday to support a local peace activist facing two months of jail time.
Carrying signs that read "Free Carolyn" and "Mr. Udall, Jail Bush, Not Carolyn," the protestors voiced support for Carolyn Bninski, 57, a coordinator at the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC), who was among five people arrested March 8 after refusing to leave the reception area of Udall's office, where they were reading the names of people who have died in Iraq.
Bninski was charged with trespassing and unlawful assembly, which carries a maximum of one year of jail time. She was released on $250 bail and has been offered a plea bargain of two months' jail time. Her trial is set for Friday morning.
The other four arrestees, none of whom had prior arrests, were offered plea bargains of $100 or 15-20 hours of community service.
This is Bninski's fifth civil disobedience arrest in five years. She has been convicted of trespassing on three occasions - protesting at Sen. Wayne Allard's office in 2002, at the Denver offices of Halliburton in 2003 and in front of a military recruiting station in Lakewood in 2005. Last July she served 10 days of jail time in Jefferson County for the Lakewood conviction.
She also paid a $75 fine for demonstrating without a permit in Washington D.C. in 2006.
Udall's Chief of Staff, Alan Salazar, said he's met with RMPJC representatives many times - including participating in a two-hour meeting with them after the March arrests.
"No one has a deeper respect for the right of free speech and civil dissent than my boss," Salazar said. "He doesn't agree with this group's views on the best way to end the Iraq war, but he will always stand up for the rights of people to speak out." [Don't tell me; show me]
Monday's protest focused on the issue of free speech, which activists say is being tested with Bninski's case.
"Scooter Libby gets pardoned and Carolyn gets 60 days," said Bruce Robinson, 67, of Boulder.
If you find this punishment to be an outlandish way to dissuade citizens from practicing their right to free speech; if you find the idea of jailing this woman for two months to be a huge and unnecessary waste of taxpayer's money, please call Mark Udall and tell him so at (303) 650-7820.
Oh, and in this wonderful land of the free that we call Colorado, the Colorado University Board of Regents voted to fire Ward Churchill today, thus silencing a professor whose voice didn't echo the sentiments of the majority in our country. And you thought that universities were places to encourage free thought...
Back to Carolyn:
Denver Post article
From the Colorado Daily:
WESTMINSTER - About 50 people protested in front of Congressman Mark Udall's office on Monday to support a local peace activist facing two months of jail time.
Carrying signs that read "Free Carolyn" and "Mr. Udall, Jail Bush, Not Carolyn," the protestors voiced support for Carolyn Bninski, 57, a coordinator at the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center (RMPJC), who was among five people arrested March 8 after refusing to leave the reception area of Udall's office, where they were reading the names of people who have died in Iraq.
Bninski was charged with trespassing and unlawful assembly, which carries a maximum of one year of jail time. She was released on $250 bail and has been offered a plea bargain of two months' jail time. Her trial is set for Friday morning.
The other four arrestees, none of whom had prior arrests, were offered plea bargains of $100 or 15-20 hours of community service.
This is Bninski's fifth civil disobedience arrest in five years. She has been convicted of trespassing on three occasions - protesting at Sen. Wayne Allard's office in 2002, at the Denver offices of Halliburton in 2003 and in front of a military recruiting station in Lakewood in 2005. Last July she served 10 days of jail time in Jefferson County for the Lakewood conviction.
She also paid a $75 fine for demonstrating without a permit in Washington D.C. in 2006.
Udall's Chief of Staff, Alan Salazar, said he's met with RMPJC representatives many times - including participating in a two-hour meeting with them after the March arrests.
"No one has a deeper respect for the right of free speech and civil dissent than my boss," Salazar said. "He doesn't agree with this group's views on the best way to end the Iraq war, but he will always stand up for the rights of people to speak out." [Don't tell me; show me]
Monday's protest focused on the issue of free speech, which activists say is being tested with Bninski's case.
"Scooter Libby gets pardoned and Carolyn gets 60 days," said Bruce Robinson, 67, of Boulder.
Labels: Carolyn, Udall, Ward Churchill
posted by Carol at 8:57 PM
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