The April 8 preliminary court hearing for those arrested during the Dec. 8, 2001 police attack on a peaceful Philadelphia march supporting freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal resulted in a judge throwing out the felony charges against three defendants, reducing the felony charges against two others, reducing all defendant's misdemeanors, and dismissing the entire case against another defendant.
Although the preliminary hearing was not a trial and defendants were not given the opportunity speak or present evidence, the April 8 hearing achieved a definite trial atmosphere as one civilian and five police witnesses were grilled repeatedly during cross examination by the defendant's lawyers. The questioning resulted in the exposure of inconsistencies and outright lies in the testimonies of these prosecution witnesses, lead the judge to throw out many of the charges.
Of the five remaining defendants, two continue to face one charge each of second degree Felony Assault on a police officer after the judge refused to throw the charges out. The judge also refused to dismiss various smaller combinations of misdemeanors against all five remaining defendants, including charges of Reckless Endangerment, Simple Assault, Failure to Disperse, Disorderly Conduct, and Obstructing a Highway.
The December 8 Coalition, an ad hoc association of activists and paralegals which has been supporting those arrested and charged during the December 8, 2001 police attack asks again that anyone willing and able to make a donation to the ongoing legal defense costs make their donation now.
Donations can be sent to:
PDAG
PO Box 40683
Phil, PA 19107
(checks should be made out to PDAG)
If you witnessed anyone being arrested at the December 8, 2001 march and you have not come forward as a witnesses in defense of these activists, there is still time for you to do so. An e-mail can be sent to icffmaj@aol.com or you can call 215-476-5416 and tell us what kind of information you have.
For more information on the December 8 police attack go http://www.mumia.org and use the search function.
[posted 4/24/02]
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