Update on last hearing of RNC 8, before the trial. For those who care of our 1st Amend.

[annm4peace]

we hope many come for the 1st day of the trial, because the whole nation is watching this trial. Some who support dissent, some who are afraid of dissent, and some who want to attack and prosecute dissent. It will determine our future


September 22 marked the final pre-trial hearing for the remaining four
defendants of the RNC 8. Important details such as the jury selection process,
outstanding issues with the evidence in the case and lists of witnesses and
exhibits, the table arrangements for the defendants and defense attorneys
during trial and other matters were all discussed.

The defense attorneys argued for the disclosure of important pieces of
evidence, such as a notebook maintained by the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office
about the investigation into the RNC Welcoming Committee. The defense attorneys
only found out about this notebook through a deposition in a successful lawsuit
against Sheriff Bob Fletcher. They also argued for sanctions to be imposed on
the prosecutors for not complying adequately with the order to provide a list
of witnesses and exhibits that will likely be introduced at trial. Towards the
end of the hearing, the defense attorneys talked with the prosecutors and judge
about the juror selection process, with each side arguing for how many strikes
they should have when selecting jurors. They also discussed the jury
questionnaire, which is still being drafted.

Despite all these topics being addressed, not many decisions were made, with
Judge Teresa Warner taking many issues under advisement. We'll update you on
the details as we learn them over the next few weeks before trial.

During the hearing, Judge Warner also confirmed that trial would start at 9am
on October 25. Although this date has been set for awhile, there was some
uncertainty after Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner dropped the charges
against Eryn, Luce and Monica since it was unclear how long the trial can be
expected to take now (it still looks like a month or more). The day before the
hearing, Warner quietly issued her ruling on the defense's motion to dismiss
the charges for lack of probable cause. She denied the motion, stating that the
defense team had failed to present evidence that would exonerate the defendants
and convince her that there was no basis to the charges. This ruling only
applied to the four remaining defendants since it came out a few days after
some charges had been dropped by the prosecutor. With this ruling and the final
pre-trial complete, the beginning of trial is the next step in the journey.

While the court hearing was rather uneventful, the circus-themed rally outside
the courthouse after the hearing was great fun! When Gaertner dismissed the
charges against three of the defendants, she said that doing so was in part in
response to Warner's decision to allow the joint trial, which she claimed the
defendants and their attorneys wanted so they could create a "circus-like
atmosphere" during trial.

Now, we all know that the only circus in the courthouse is the so-called
justice system itself. So we brought the circus to the courthouse to show them
what it really is! There were even special appearances by the top clowns in
Ramsey County: Clown Gaertner and Clown Fletcher! Check out some lovely
pictures at http://rnc8.org. You can also view a video of the rally and clown
show in two locations:

Blip TV: http://www.blip.tv/file/4156439
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d4xD5LWrfI

With the final pre-trial hearing complete, we're in for a busy month of
preparation before trial starts on October 25. Amidst all the work, though,
we're still putting together fun events to help support the defendants. And
you're still invited to join us! Read on to find out what's going on...

* Get Involved! *

Already making your plans to come to the Twin Cities for trial? Awesome! Email
us at info(A)rnc8.org to find out how you can help with cooking meals,
providing childcare, taking court notes and a whole bunch of other things.

* Get Housing! *

Need a place to stay when you're in town? Check out http://rnc8.org/housing.
This page has more info as well as forms for registering to host people from
out of town or to find people with some space to spare.

* Mark Your Calendars! *

Help us make the trial a time of movement building and solidarity! Come to the
fabulous, fun RNC 8 Event Series!

Join the RNC 8 Defense Committee and an array of community organizations for
six events coinciding with the trial. Events will begin with dinner and a brief
update on the trial, followed by new content each week. Half of the proceeds
will go to the RNC 8 defense fund, and half will be donated to rotating
political projects. For more info on the event series, including complete event
descriptions, visit http://www.rnc8.org/events.

* When: Fridays in November and December; Dinner at 6:30pm, Content at 7:00pm
* Where: Waite House, 2529 13th Ave. S., Minneapolis
* Cost: $5-15 sliding scale, kids $2
Vegan and gluten free options available, childcare provided

[Scruffy1]

1. Thanks for the great update

[MNmom]

2. I hope there are a lot of supporters at the trial!

We can't let anyone's rights be trampled on. These trumped up charges are meant to discourage dissent. We have to stand up for the RNC8!