trial

FREE AT LAST!!! by Jon Gold

http://peaceoftheaction.org/2010/07/12/free-at-last/
FREE AT LAST!!!
July 12, 2010
Jon Gold
7/12/2010

They tried and tried to put the glove on, but it just didn’t fit. I kid, I kid.

On March 20th 2010, I was arrested for crossing a police line. Today, I was acquitted for the crime, along with Cindy Sheehan, and Jim Veeder. Sadly, Matthis Chiroux, Elaine Brower, and Lafloria Walsh were found guilty of failing to obey.

This was my first arrest and trial so all of this was new to me. Before the trial began, our lawyers and the prosecutor tried to work things out so there wouldn’t be a trial. The prosecutor offered a “pay and forfeit” without any conviction, and all of us declined. We stood our ground, and wanted the chance to clear our names. We felt strongly that our arrests were unjust, and wanted our day in court.

Civil rights activist seeks to prove anti-terrorism law a violation of free speech

http://rawstory.com/2010/02/human-rights-activist-seeks-prove-antiterrorism-law-violation-free-speech/
Civil rights activist seeks to prove anti-terrorism law a violation of free speech

Ralph Fertig, a 79-year-old professor who has fought for civil rights most of his life, wants to be a public advocate for the oppressed Kurdish minority in Turkey.

The problem?

He's worried the US government, which calls the group a terrorist organization, will throw him in prison for 15 years as a collaborator.

So Fertig has challenged the law as the lead plaintiff in a case the Supreme Court will hear early next week.

Specifically, Fertig is challenging a 1996 provision in the Patriot Act that allows long prison terms for anyone for helps or advocates for terrorist groups in any way. According to government lawyers, the law not only prevents "training" or "assistance" to terrorists, but also the filing of a legal brief or writing an op-ed essay on behalf of a designated terrorist group.

Fertig says all he wants to do is teach Turkish Kurds the philosophies of non-violent protest he practiced as a civil rights activist in the '60s.

Poll finds broad support among New Yorkers for death penalty in Khalid Shaikh Mohammed terror case

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/11/22/2009-11-22_kill_all_five_sez_ny_poll_finds_broad_support_for_death_penalty_...

Poll finds broad support among New Yorkers for death penalty in Khalid Shaikh Mohammed terror case

BY ROBERT JOHNSON AND DAVID SALTONSTALL
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Sunday, November 22nd 2009, 4:00 AM

An overwhelming majority of New Yorkers believe the terrorist thugs who planned the 9/11 attacks should and will be sentenced to death - and two-thirds of city residents say they'd be unafraid to serve on the jury.

An exclusive Daily News/Marist poll found that 77% of New Yorkers agree with President Obama that alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his four cowardly cohorts will be found guilty in a Manhattan federal courtroom.

"If I'm on that jury, there's no doubt they get a conviction - no doubt," said Larry Amandola, 48, an electrician from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and one of a dozen regular New Yorkers interviewed separately by The News. "I had a few friends who died on Sept. 11 and I worked [at Ground Zero] immediately after. The people that suffered through this have a right to judge them."

A call to action or an end to the truth movement?

I see many people calling for action at the KSM trial. But has anyone really thought about the ramifications of showing up at the KSM trial with "9/11 Was an Inside Job" signs? The Department of Homeland Security has been trying to label 9/11 truthers as terrorists for a couple years now. What will happen if a single 9/11 truth sign shows up at the trial and even hints that KSM is innocent?

It doesn't matter if KSM is really innocent or not. The government has labeled him a terrorist and is putting that terrorist on trial in a public court for the whole world to see. If any 9/11 truth signs show up at that trial, that will be the final nail in the coffin for 9/11 truth. We will be labeled as terrorist sympathizers, terrorist supporters, or homegrown terrorists. DHS would love nothing more than to see 9/11 truth signs flying around at that trial so that they can finally start rounding up the only real voice that threatens whatever agenda the criminals in our government are trying to attain.

There's even the possibility that "agents" could pose as 9/11 truthers to obtain the same goal of painting us as terrorists or terrorist supporters.

Former N.J. Gov. Thomas Kean opposes trial in N.Y.C. for alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/former_nj_gov_thomas_kean_says.html

Former N.J. Gov. Thomas Kean opposes trial in N.Y.C. for alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks By Brian Donohue/The Star-Ledger
November 17, 2009, 10:59AM

NEW YORK -- Thomas H. Kean, chairman of the commission that investigated the 9/11 terrorist attacks, today criticized the decision by the Obama administration to try the alleged mastermind of the attacks in federal court in New York.

In what he described as his first interview since the decision by United States Attorney General Eric Holder last week, Kean told WNYC radio he feared an open trial in Manhattan federal court would make the suspect, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed a "martyr" and "hero" among al Qaeda sympathizers around the world.

Thomas H. Kean, former New Jersey governor and chairman of the 9/11 Commission, and Co-Chair Lee H. Hamilton confer during a news conference in 2005 in Washington, D.C.

Kean's comments came in a radio interview with Brian Lehrer on WNYC.

Kean, a Republican who is also former governor of New Jersey, appeared on the program with fellow 9/11 commission member Richard Ben-Veniste, a Democrat.

Confusing picture emerges from driver's trial

Trial based on serious contradiction between conflicting US motives

June 23, 2008

Several major US newspapers are running headlines similar to the one in the LA Times--Bin Laden's driver knew 9/11 target, lawyer says. At first glance, this implies that he knew that bin Laden was targeting the Twin Towers before 9/11.

But then a few paragraphs into the story we learn that Morris indicated at a news conference later that the eavesdropping occurred after Sept. 11, not before.

Oddly, the LA Times drops the story at that point and veers into a discussion of Hamdan's arrest, leaving out a really big piece of testimony that was carried by Reuters: "If they hadn't shot down the fourth plane it would've hit the dome," Stone, a Navy officer, said in his opening remarks.

What?

Gitmo judge: No 'coercive' questioning evidence

first 4 paragraphs, this is great news that the judge is attempting to follow centuries of legal precedent

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Gitmo_judge_No_coercive_questioning_evidence_0722.html

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - The judge in the first American war crimes trial since World War II barred evidence on Monday that interrogators obtained from Osama bin Laden's driver following his capture in Afghanistan.

Prosecutors are considering whether to appeal the judge's ruling — a development that could halt the trial of Salim Hamdan that began earlier Monday after years of delays and legal setbacks.

"We need to evaluate ... to what extent it has an impact on our ability to fully portray his criminality in this case, but also what it might set out for future cases," said Army Col. Lawrence Morris, the tribunals' chief prosecutor.

Hamdan, who was captured at a roadblock in Afghanistan in November 2001, pleaded not guilty at the start of a trial that will be closely watched as the first full test of the Pentagon's system for prosecuting alleged terrorists. He faces a maximum life sentence if convicted of conspiracy and aiding terrorism.

Bin Laden driver wants '9/11 braintrust' as witnesses

A testament to the power of words and truth, and the weakness of deceit and injustice:

"Meantime, a Pentagon prosecutor warned the judge, Navy Capt. Keith Allred, of dire consequences if he lets the defense call suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and six other former CIA captives to testify for Hamdan.

''It's not the sky that might fall. It's another building,'' said prosecutor Clayton Trivett Jr. ``In the minds of some of these individuals, they hold some of the mostly closely guarded secrets in the national intelligence community.''"

http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/604656.html

Bin Laden driver wants '9/11 braintrust' as witnesses
Posted on Mon, Jul. 14, 2008

BY CAROL ROSENBERG
crosenberg@MiamiHerald.com

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba -- A Pentagon prosecutor warned Monday that testimony from an alleged al Qaeda kingpin, meant to clear Osama bin Laden's driver of war crimes, could help terrorists topple another American building.

A defense lawyer argued that the charges against the driver, Salim Hamdan of Yemen, were unconstitutional and urged dismissal.

Manual to allow executions based on hearsay

Many of us were wondering if evidence refuting the government's LIES would be heard in the trials of suspected 'terrorists' -- however, it seems like the Pentagon has their kangaroo court ready to go.

______________________________________________________________________

Manual to allow executions based on hearsay

Pentagon plan for detainee trials could spark fresh bipartisan debate
The Associated Press

Updated: 11:52 a.m. PT Jan 18, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has drafted a manual for upcoming detainee trials that would allow suspected terrorists to be convicted on hearsay evidence and coerced testimony and imprisoned or put to death.

According to a copy of the manual obtained by The Associated Press, a terror suspect's defense lawyer cannot reveal classified evidence in the person's defense until the government has a chance to review it.

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